The Winter
by Solangelo-Infection332
Summary: Book Three in the WD Omegaverse series. Since there was a HUGE time gap between season two and season three, I've decided to fill in some of the blanks. This book is bases during the winter from the farm to the prison. Every odd chapter is about Rick's Pack, and the even ones are about Andrea and Michonne. Enjoy!
1. Rick

RECAP:

Carl, Rick and Daryl tell the rest of the Flock their idea, about the virus being aerial and them all be infected as the start setting up camp. The make a fire and huddle together in silence, Lori staying away from everyone as much as she could, silently fuming. T-Dog is on watch with Rick and Carol has the pups sleeping by her. Maggie and Glenn stay close to her family while Daryl tends to the fire. When Rick and T-Dog come back to get warm Maggie clears her throat.

"I've been thinking, and I've spoken with my dad and Beth too." She grabs Glenn's hand and pulls it close, "Me and Glenn are Courting, and when we Mate, the Packs will merge. That could be at any time…. soon or not for years. We could die at any time…. Soon or not for years. I want to merge the Packs now, so if something happens my family will be safe."

"You know we wouldn't leave one of you behind." Glenn rubs his thumb over her knuckles, scenting her behind her ear.

"I know." Maggie smiles, "But it's still a formality I want to cover as quickly as possible. And Rick," She turns to the Alpha, "I want you to be our Prime. You've proven that you're capable of taking care of us; all of us. The Greene's will follow you."

"Alright." Rick nods, "Let's get some sleep, I'll take first watch."

…

The next morning everyone makes their way back to the cars, grabbing blankets and can goods for breakfast. Daryl leaves to hunt after they take the gas from the remaining vehicles, including the Theta's bike, and put it into a car along with the gas cans. He sees his Packmates off before he leaves, scenting Glenn and Maggie and nodding at Rick as he fades into the forest.

"When you get back," Rick tells the two Alphas, "we'll Merge the Packs officially."

"We'll be back soon, don't worry." Glenn clasps hands with his Prime before they leave. It takes a few hours for them to get back with enough gas to move all three vehicles, and Rick keeps the Packs busy by searching through what they had managed to throw into the cars before fleeing the farm. Carl and Sophia help Carol with the clothes while Hershel and Beth check the medicine, T-Dog sorts food and when he returns with rabbits and squirrels, Daryl helps him. They find a pack of playing cards that they entertain themselves with while the Theta guts their food and Rick stands watch. Lori was keeping to herself, reading a novel she found from somewhere.

Everyone perks up at the sound of an engine, Daryl and Carol keep the pups back until they see the little coupe Glenn and Maggie were driving pull up close to them. The group starts packing everything up, Daryl putting the furs he managed to save from the farm and the new ones, into his saddlebag. The two Alphas fill everything up and they gather around the small fire Beth was tending, cooking the meat the Theta had brought the group. Once everyone has had their fill, they give the remaining meat to Lori, and Rick looks at the Greene family.

"Are you sure? Last chance for us to be a Flock instead of a Pack." Maggie smiles at the Prime's concern, glad she had chosen him to lead.

"We're sure." Maggie takes a deep breath, "How are we going to do this?"

"Well that's up to you." Rick says, "Do you want to do it Traditional or New-School?"

"New-School." Hershel says, "You're Pack is a New-School isn't it? We'll follow those customs from now on then."

"Follow whatever ones you want, just know if anyone is harmed in the Pack BECAUSE of them…."

"I understand."

"Alright." Rick motions for the three of them to sit down, "We have to go by ranks when we Merge Packs instead of just adding to it or forming one. So, I go first, then Daryl, then the pups, then the others. We'll start with Maggie, the Hershel, and lastly Beth. Sorry."

The three Greene's get into order and Rick kneels in front of Maggie, "With you we're going to have Glenn go between me and Daryl because you two are courting, that ok?"

Once she nods, Rick rubs his glands until his hand is saturated, then offers her both his neck and hand. He was leaving the choice up to her, not wanting to assume her comfort level with him. The female Alpha purrs and reaches forward to rub her glands against Rick's, gasping with each deep breath at his smell. The amount of comfort and easy peace wasn't overwhelming as it coats the steel like strength of the Alpha and was peppered with pleasure and confidence.

The smell reminded her of her family gathered together on the fourth of July when she was young; sitting on her daddy's shoulders while Shawn sat on her pregnant stepmother's lap, Otis running back to them after lighting a light fountain and Patricia hands her a new sparkler while reminding her to keep it away from Hershel's hair. Some of their neighbor's cheer as the colors explode with a sharp whistle. It reminded her of safety and a time of peace and she wanted to bury her face in his neck and just let the world fall away.

It was with a great reluctance she pulls away with a whine and tears in her eyes. Rick smiles and croons softly while wiping away a lone tear as it falls. The thin rope like bond settles in their minds and Rick moves on to Hershel, offering the same choice to him that he had for Maggie. The Elder takes Rick's hand, rubbing his own oils against Rick's glands. Their bond is thinner than even the female Alpha's, but Rick has no doubt it will grow as the others will. Beth shifts nervously as the Prime approaches her but settles a little when he again offers the choice. She grabs her daddy's hand for comfort but allows Rick to rub his hand against her glands, offering him the same.

Glenn scents Maggie first, but Daryl follows Rick's lead in offering the choice. All three of them take the hand, seeing the way the Omega shakes a little as they shift a little closer to him. Carl and Sophia both hug all three and rub their glands together, not really giving them a choice. But as an Omega and a pup, it's well received. Then Glenn returns to scent Hershel and Beth, offering them the choice too, before Carol and T-Dog welcome the new Packmates with their own scents. When Lori approaches, like she was also going to scent them Rick flashes his teeth at her. Maggie stands quickly now that the small ceremony was over and pulls her family up as well.

"What? I don't get to participate in group activities now?" She asks.

"You have to be Pack to help Merge it with another." Glenn stares her down, "And you made it clear where you stand in that regard."

"I'm still apart of this group." The Beta argues.

"Only until the cub is born." Carol says softly.

"If there is one." Maggie scoffs with her arms crossed, "Or did you forget that you sent Glenn and I into town to get you abortion pills?"

"Hershel is there any way you can tell if there's a cub inside her?"

"Rick-!"

"A pregnancy test at this point, until she starts to smell like it at least." The Elder says.

"We'll stop into the next small town and grab as many as we can." Rick ignores the Beta as she keeps attempting to catch Rick's attention. "If she's not, we let her go there. Might give her a chance."

…..

They pack up the cars and find their way to another town, much like the one close to the farm. They check the closest store, a Walmart, and the pharmacy and come back with at least sixteen tests. Carol takes her in that bathroom after clearing it while Rick shows Carl and Sophia to the small book section to gather as many as they can in a shopping cart. It could be something for everyone to do while driving, or at least give them something to start fires with.

T-Dog and Glenn were outside taking their things and putting them into one of the two Chevy Express vans they found to haul everything in and moving the gas from the jeep to them. The second van had three rows of seats behind the driver and passenger seats and would fit the Pack inside. They park them inside the outdoor garden section, moving all the dead plants away to make room. Hershel was going to drive the supplies van with Lori to keep a medical eye on her if the tests come back positive.

The rest of the Pack was gathering blankets, warm clothes, and anything else that might be of some use. They decide to camp in the garden department and eat whatever they can find that hasn't spoiled yet. They find some kitchen appliances that people had left on the shelves, not thinking they would need them, and bring over the biggest pots they can. Maggie heads over to the food section with Hershel and they bring back carts of canned goods, and non-perishables. Daryl helps Beth gather the metal racks from the gas and charcoal grills and fit them onto the largest fire pit they find. Any wooden shelves they can break go into the pile and Daryl lights it up with lighter fluid and a match.

They throw some potatoes, onions and peppers that had grown from the remaining mush of other vegetables and the last of the meat into one of the pots with some of their water for a thin soup. Daryl claims two jars of peanut butter and eats with his fingers, sharing a little with Sophia when he catches her staring at it. They eat candy and drink flat soda and beer, and when Carol and Lori come back with sixteen positive test, they share with their Gamma for her cub.

Rick takes watch, making sure the metal gates that sectioned off their part of the store were down completely and latched, killing the few Walkers that managed to get inside and catch on it. Carl and Sophia were playing in one of the other aisles, Carol watching them with an amused and secretive smile. The Alpha almost asks what they were up to when he hears a dragging noise. The others all look up, tense, but laugh when the pups start dragging tents out from their hiding spots; Sophia was trying to keep the tents up with broom sticks inside and Carl's had poles sticking out from where they were put in wrong. Rick walks over to them chuckling at their pouting and scents them thoroughly with purrs. His pup smiles and purrs back, preening in the attention, while Sophia smiles bashfully. The pups go and get more tents until everyone has one and the Pack helps them set them up correctly.

When everyone is settled, and the Pack is curled up in front of the fire, licking the last bits of sugar from their fingers, Carl gets up and moves over to Daryl, who was poking the fire and adding little bits of charcoal and wood to it.

"Who's Mingus?" The Omega freezes, yanking his hand back when it heats up and stares at the pup. Everyone is silent, watching as Carl points to the inside of Daryl's forearm, "His name's tattooed there. Who is he?"

"My cousin." Daryl grunts, settling on his heels, "He was the only other Omega in my family, and when he presented my uncle shot him; right in the middle of his first heat."

Carl gasped, as well as a few others, but Daryl just shrugged, "It's how I was raised; Traditional. No bitches but your own."

"No, that's not Traditional, Daryl." Hershel's brow was tense, "That's a Polkrato Pack. I didn't think there was any left in the states; most of them are in small tribes in the middle east, Asia, and Africa."

"I thought you were New-School?" T-Dog asks.

"I am." Daryl clears his throat and looks at the fire, "My cousin Mingus was about three years older than me and he presented late. When I presented as an Omega, my old man almost shot me too. Merle convinced him I'd be better off a Breeder for another Pack."

"That sounds like Merle's a piece of-"

"The only thing that saved my life." Daryl cuts Maggie off. "It bought him enough time to find my mother's brother, my uncle Jesse's a Beta, and take me to him. We moved to a New-School area and Jesse took me in as Pack, even payed off my dad when he came looking for me. Merle went to jail a year later cause one of the Alpha's from the old Pack that my dad had almost sold me too tried to take me back, and Merle killed him. That's where he was when this all started going down, still serving his time with some probation."

"Is your dad where all your scars come from?" Sophia asks. Daryl nods and pulls his shirt off, showing the other tattoos and raised skin on his back and abdomen. He points to his collarbone where a word was tattooed in fancy letters, another, smaller word rest above one of the scars.

"Norman was my mother's name." He runs his thumb over it briefly, then points at the other one, "Lemmy was my nephew."

"Merle had a kid?" Glenn asks.

"Yeah, wasn't really his kid but he raised 'im. My old place it was everyone for themselves, even the pups. Lemmy was this little runt with ADD and a limp cause he broke his leg and it never healed right. Merle took him in, raised him up, took him with us when we moved to Jesse's. Kid died of pneumonia and Merle fell off the wagon hard." Daryl points at the little winged devil on his bicep, "This is his; Mingus and mom are on my back."

"Do you miss him? Merle?" Carl asks while the Omega puts his shirt back on.

"Sometimes." Daryl grunts.

"He was cool." Carl smiles sadly, "Hopefully we find him again, alive."

"Carl." Rick calls softly, "Take Sophia to her tent, then go get ready for bed."

"Ok dad." Rick turns to the Omega while the pups get ready for bed.

"I'm sorry."

"Merle could've come back, he didn't. Not your fault." Daryl grabs his knife and stands up, "I'll take first watch, ya'll head to sleep."

"Wake me when you're ready." T-Dog pats the Theta on the shoulder before heading to his tent. Everyone heads to bed; Carol climbs into the tent with Sophia, Hershel and Beth take the two side by side, Maggie goes into the one close to them and after a minute Glenn follows, and Rick scents Daryl before following Carl into theirs. Lori was still struggling to put her's up, glaring at everyone that just passes her by and doesn't help. Daryl watches her from the corner of his eye without offering her help or advice, but also making sure she doesn't go to try and go wake someone else up by sneaking into their tent or try to force someone else to help.

"There a reason you're watching me instead of keeping an eye out for Walkers, Omega?" she scowls when she sees him looking.

"Watch your mouth sunshine." Daryl rumbles, "Or did you forget yer the Gamma and only here still because of Carl? I rank higher than you by a lot now too."

Daryl didn't pull rank often; only when it came to the other Omegas and pups had he pulled rank before. But watching the way the Beta's face turned red with anger was worth it. He looks at the pile she had put struggle into and almost laughs. "That's not a camping tent, it's a patio cover. Ya'know the ones they use for outdoor events and what not? Ya need the big metal poles that dig in the dirt to use that. The camping tents are over there."

He points to the aisle and watches the way she bristles in anger and embarrassment. She starts walking over there but pauses when she passes Rick and Carl's tent. Daryl's by her side and pulling her away with a low growl before her fingers can touch the zipper. The answering growl from inside the tent tells them that Rick's not fully asleep, not yet. He shoves her past the aisle where the tents would be and towards the metal fence, pulling his knife from his waist band and putting it in her hands, aiming it at the rest of the building. "Stay put, you're on watch until I can grab ya the right things since yer useless around this shit. Stay away from the tents or you're sleeping on the other side of the gate."

She's still there when he comes back and sets the camping gear on the ground away from the rest of the group. He takes his place back and raises an eyebrow when she just crosses her arms and glares at him. "What?"

"You're not going to put the tent up for me?" She gestures at the cloth.

"Hell no. Why would I? I ain't yer Mate and you ain't Pack either."

"I'm pregnant."

"Not my problem. Grab a blanket and curl up in the corner if you don't want to put up your tent."

"Stupid Knot Clencher." Lori scowls as she struggles to pull the tent out of the package. Daryl tightens his hands on his crossbow and tries to ignore the slander she throws at him. "Don't know why the Knotters won't keep a better leash on their Breeding Bitches."

A low snarl makes both of them look at the circle of tents, Rick's eyes glow with an angry gleam, completely black; no maroon. His eyes were turning red, that's how pissed he was at the Beta. When she goes to stand the Alpha bares his teeth, showing elongated canines.

It wasn't uncommon Before when fights would break out between Alphas for their nature to push through a little the angrier they got; the angrier, the more feral. Scientist believed that while Betas evolved from chimps and apes, Alphas and Omegas evolved from wolves. Betas became homosapiens and Alphas and Omegas became lycanthropes, or werewolves. Over time the two species crossbred, and the Beta gene was absorbed. It reappeared as a recessive gene for Alpha/Omega pairs, a disfigurement like having two eye colors or missing a toe. As they evolved they took on the sapiens physique and the rest of the Lycan biology. Their eyes changed colors and their canines shrank except when threatened or angry, like how a dog's hackles raised. It was why Alphas rutted with knots and Omegas went into heat with slick. Alphas are Lycan males and Omegas are females. Mixing that with sapiens biology was how second genders came to be. Alphas had a sex gene of XYY (males like Rick)/XXY (females like Maggie); Omegas had one of XXX (females like Carol)/XYX (males like Daryl). Betas only had two sex genes, XY (males like T-Dog)/XX (females like Lori). The lack of a third sex chromosome is what causes the glands to not fully develop.

Daryl knew that if Rick's eyes go completely red, he'll rut. He needed to get Lori away from him before he attacked her. The Theta moves with a confidence, knowing better than to show anything else. Rick might have amazing control over his instincts, but if Daryl shows he's scared or even wary of being near Lori, Rick will see her as even more of a threat to his Packmate.

"Calm your ass down Alpha." Daryl snorts. He watches Rick leave the tent and zip it closed as he grabs the Beta and yanks her on her feet, dragging her and his own tent to the corner furthest away from the others, behind the last aisle. He points to it and speaks to Lori even though he keeps his eyes focused on the Prime now at the gate watching the dark store with intent. "Get in, zip it up, don't let him even hear you breathe. Imma calm him down before he guts you and feeds ya to the Walkers."

He hears her do as he says as he goes back, keeping a distance when he sees the pointed tips of his ears, along with the stubble growing on them. "The hell you thinking, sending yourself into a rut right now? Over a slur from a Beta that don't mean shit to the Pack?"

Rick looks at him and Daryl forces himself to keep eye contact. He keeps going, "I'm not a pup; I don't need you coming to my rescue like I'm your's. I've handled worse than Lori, trust me. Got that Alpha?"

"Yes Theta." Rick rumbles. He runs his hands through his hair and scratches at the hair on his ears as they start to round out again. His eyes fade back to blue and his canines shorten into his mouth. "Shit, Daryl I'm sorry."

"You're protective. She's a Gamma with a Pack she ain't a part of and ya just merged the Packs." Daryl grunts, "It's fine. But next time you try to fight my battles for me I'll kick your ass."

"I'm counting on it." Rick smiles, "That's why you're the Theta. Keep me in line."

"Come here." Daryl walks over to the Alpha and shaves the hair down on his ears with his knife. Rick stays completely still, turning when Daryl finishes one of them to do the next, not wanting to read further into it than he might. Packmates groomed each other sometimes; maybe not something as intimate as shaving but still.

When both ears are shaved as much as it can be, Daryl starts picking his way through Rick's hair, holding his blade with his teeth. The Alpha freezes, shocked. This was grooming; Daryl was grooming him. It was a big step for the Omega, showing Rick just how much Daryl trust the Alpha. He leans his head down a little bit so the Theta could reach the knot in his hair that the Omega was trying to get to. Daryl rumbles his thanks and Rick shudders, laying his forehead on the shoulder in front of him and gripping onto the man's waist. Rick would never get used to the sound of an Omega rumbling; of Daryl rumbling. It was like a purr and a growl, vibrating his whole chest. Rick rumbles back as the Omega cuts the clump of hair out and runs his fingers through the tangles, looking for more. The Alpha purrs when Daryl's nails scratch at his scalp, and the Omega pauses before doing it again, harder. Rick arches his neck up a bit, pushing his head into it and rubbing against Daryl's glands, purring louder. They stand there, not moving while Rick breathes, then Daryl check again for any more hints of a rat's nest.

When he finishes, Daryl steps back, clearing his throat and refusing to meet Rick's eyes. The Alpha smiles a little at the embarrassed display but doesn't say anything, shifting on his feet and watching the dark isles light up sometimes with movement from a stray Walker. They had already put out the fire and they seemed to be in the clear as long as they didn't make a lot of noise.

When the light doesn't go off after a minute Rick rumbles. A herd. Then another light comes on, closer and Rick turns to see Daryl already waking people, Glenn and Maggie start putting the equipment up. They take the pots and fire pit to van one and pile it in with the other supplies they found in the store they were going to take with them. The tents are taken down and moved into the van as well, everyone piles into the second van just as the herd passes it front of the gate. Loud snarling and growling is almost enough to drown out the sound of the thin metal shaking like a maraca. Rick waits until everyone is in, including Lori before helping Daryl with the last of the supplies, moving it to fit around Daryl's motorcycle which they had stuck in the van as well. Rick would have suggested leaving it, but the bike was Merle's and he still felt to guilty to even suggest it to Daryl. Plus, it could be good for scouting later.

The rattling chains made more Walkers join the party at the outside gate and Rick runs to van two to make sure everyone was inside while Daryl climbs into the driver's seat of van one. The whole Pack and Lori were seated in the second van except Rick and Daryl. Rick opens the passenger door and holds on to the outside while Glenn drives to the back gate where less Walkers were gathered. He hops down and slams the door shut, pulling out his gun and shooting the two closest Walkers before shooting the lock. He throws the gate open and Glenn floors it, Daryl pulls up and swings the door open. Rick climbs onto the driver side and the Omega hits the gas, the door slamming Rick into the hood with a grunt as it hits a Walker.

"RICK!"

"I'M GOOD! KEEP GOING!" They drive a little longer before Daryl pulls on Rick's shirt. The Alpha bends his knees carefully and turns a little to see Daryl almost completely in the passenger side. One hand was on the gas and the other was steering but his bottom half was over the console, he just had to sit up more. Rick sits on the corner of the seat and moves one leg to the gas petal. His foot brushes Daryl's fingers and the hunter sits up, Rick's thigh just below his chin as the Omega keeps his eye on the road. Rick scoots over and brings his other leg inside as Daryl sits up completely. The Alpha takes the wheel with one hand and slams the door closed with the other. Once both were situated and breathing heavy, Daryl snorts and bites the skin at his thumb while leaning against the window, staring at Rick.

"What?" The Alpha asks, a little nervous.

"Adrenaline junkie?" The Omega smirks, looking down at Rick's lap. He sits in his seat sideways with one leg crossed over the other, his hands tucked into his armpits now. Rick barks out his own snort and looks down too. Yep.

"One of the more unorthodox reasons I became a cop." Rick shrugs. Daryl laughs from his belly, head thrown back and tears in his eyes. Rick smirks, preening a bit. He liked the other man's laugh, it was deep and more like a nose breathing cackle. It made him want to laugh too. They follow Glenn as he pulls into a driveway with a fenced in backyard and detached garage. They pull in behind the fence and pile out of the cars, Rick takes Carl into his arms to scent him and then they get closer to the house.

"Think there's anything in there?" T-Dog asks, "We can't all barge in, guns blazing, if there's a lot in there. Give 'em time to sneak up on us."

"We'll need to come up with a way to communicate with each other without yelling at each other; hand signals, knocks." Rick says. He bangs his elbow on the door to alert the Walkers inside to move or make some noise. "Some kind of formation for clearing houses, especially if we have to keep jumping from place to place."

"Merle and I would whistle when hunting if we split up; bird calls too." Daryl says, readying his crossbow, "I can teach ya'll later. Right now whistle once, long and high, if there are Walkers you need help with, and two short ones if a room is clear. It'll have to work for now."

The group nods. Glenn, T-Dog, Daryl and Rick head in first. They leave the others outside and try the new formation, checking every room, closet, and behind every door before they go back outside. Maggie and Carol had closed the gate while Hershel checked the garage, and now they were setting up the tents inside it. It would be safer there than in the house. Rick has members go in and grab every blanket they can to cover the windows like Morgan had done before. The Prime often worried about the Alpha and his son who saved him to begin with. The battery in the Walkie had died the day after the CDC, and with everything that had gone on, he forgot. He couldn't charge it even at the farm because the adapter was still at the station and in the police cruiser he'd left on the side of the road.

"So…" Maggie and Glenn came up behind the Prime while he was looking through the books. He looks up at them with a raised eyebrow, and they kneel.

"Maggie-" Glenn whispers before she cuts him off, "We were wonderin' how long you were going to hang on the door while drivin' and so we kept checking on you, and we saw Daryl bent over while you were getting in the seat, almost made Glenn swerve off the road. Then we saw ya'll laughing and thought you saw the van dance around… there gonna be two courting' pairs soon?"

Rick just chuckles at the female Alpha; the sound eases the tension from Glenn. He scents the Alpha with a hand on his shoulder. "No. His hand was still on the gas petal. I don't think I'm ready to court anyone; the timing's wrong and the last time I tried a relationship with someone, I ended up an abused, suppressed Alpha for almost twelve years with no ties to any Packs except my work partner and my son."

Rick shakes his head, "And even if I was, it takes two. Daryl's still wary of Alphas some, and I doubt he sees me as Mate material. I mean look at me, I'm pathetic and barely hanging on. The only thing Alpha about me is my scent and will to protect my pup. I haven't popped a knot even in rut since before Carl was born."

"Rick…." Glenn could smell the almost non-existent self-worth Rick was imitating, as could some of the others if the looks they were getting were anything to go by.

The scent disappears as Rick takes a deep breath and smiles, picking up a book and skimming the summary. "Hershel has first watch, get some sleep."

Rick scents the two Alphas and nods goodnight to the others, climbing into his tent and laying down next to Carl's sleeping form. He scents his pup and purrs, settling in and shielding Carl from the door, closing his eyes until his breathing evens out. For now, this would have to do and in the morning they would train to survive the winter.


	2. Merle

_RECAP:_

 _Andrea makes it into the woods with the gun bag, a small herd close on her heels. It was almost midnight by the time she finally went down, the herd still following her, and down to her last bullets. She was using a knife and the gun to bash the heads of the Walkers in, unknowing of the person following her. She takes them all down, except one. She trips over a tree root and the Walker falls on top of her, growling. In a last-ditch effort, the Beta tries to mimic the Howl for help._

 _A sword cuts the head of the Walker clean off, the person holding it was also holding two Walkers on chains. They had backpacks on but no arms, and their bottom jaws were cut off. They made no move to attack, just staring with unblinking eyes. Andrea backs away as the woman, an Alpha woman, kneels in front of her, flinging the blood from her katana and putting it in its scabbard on her back. She pulls her hood back, revealing an attractive, black woman with dreadlocks around Andrea's age._

" _You're quite fierce for a Beta." She says, her face void of emotion except her eyes; they narrow as they consider her. "Where is your Pack?"_

" _Herd." Andrea gasps, "A herd of Walkers came through. I lost them. My Alpha's dead, his successor and I don't get along; I don't know if I'll be allowed back even if I do find them. Thank you for helping me."_

" _Come on. We move now." The Alpha woman helps her to her feet and pulls her and the chained Walkers along, "Ignore them, their scent hides ours. We'll camouflage in with them."_

" _My names Andrea."_

" _Michonne."_

…

Merle hears the Asian Alpha on the CB and watches everyone get the bags together, ignoring him. "Hey! Come on ya can't leave me here! Come on…. Morales!" They grab as many of the bags as they can hold and run as fast as they can down the stairs.

"T-Dog man! You can't leave me here, not chained like this! It's not human, come on." T-Dog freezes before he got halfway to the door, shaking his head. Morales seems to understand and tells him to hurry. T-Dog turns around, dropping Dale's tools to grab the handcuff key from his pocket.

"YES! Yes, thank you! Thank you T-Dog, come on man." Merle tries to help by getting as close as he can, reaching out for the key, "Hand it over! Then you run, get back to the others!" T-Dog falters at the redneck Beta's words because, WHAT? He trips over one of the pipes and falls, dropping all the other bags and the key. He scrambles after it and watches it go down the drain.

Trembling he looks at the other Beta, scared of what he'll do. "Man I…"

Merle shoots out a hand and grabs T-Dog by his shirt, pulling him closer. "Go. Get back to the others, leave me. Just… just do me a favor and tell Daryl I'm sorry. He'll try to come get me, with or without anyone else, just how he is. It's his nature to care about family; don't let him. Knock his ass out if ya gotta but don't let him come back for me. GO!"

T-Dog gets up, watching shocked as Merle sits down and rest his head on his knees, resigning himself to his fate. "I'll stay, I'll help you man. I can't leave you like this, I…."

"Will go down stairs and get back to the Quarry." Merle cuts him off, "You gotta make sure Daryl don't come looking for me. He doesn't need to see me like that."

T-Dog runs to the door, stopping at Dale's tools and kicking it over, making Merle look at him. The Beta pants, nodding to the tools now littered on the ground close to the other Beta, "It's not much but it's a chance. You know how to get back, make sure you do. Daryl needs you man, we both know it. I can block the door somehow…. I'm so sorry."

He makes it to the door and was closing it when Merle called out to him, "Thank you for this. And T-Dog, I'm sorry, I shouldn't've called you that, or Morales. Ya'll don't deserve it."

T-Dog chains the door closed with a padlock and bolts down the stairs. Merle listens to him call for the others, and sighs through his tears. He hears the car alarm and banging metal. He hears glass break and the Walkers coming in. He tries to focus his hearing like Daryl had taught him to and breathes easier when it works, picking out the groups heartbeats in two places, but everyone's accounted for. They were getting out of Atlanta, all of them but him. He takes off his belt and tries to get some of the tools closer for him to reach.

It's hours later when he'd already tried the wrench and a few of the other tools to get him out of the cuffs when he heard the first Walkers coming for him. He had blood and dirt caked into his skin from the cuffs and the roof making a thin shield from the Georgia sun. He was dehydrated and suffering from heat stroke but damn it if he'd lay down for them unnatural shits. He stays low and quiet, no reason to make himself a target any more than he already is. He slides under the pipe he was handcuffed to, closer to the door but also hidden from view behind an AC unit. They push at the door and growl, knowing he's there but not able to see him. He could see them pushing but unable to get through and he sends up his thanks to T-Dog for helping him even further. Laying the way he was he could stretch just enough to get his belt buckle to touch the hacksaw. If he was lucky he'd be able to cut through the chains, if not… Well he wouldn't die up here now.

"Come on you a little bitch, don't be a pussy." He whispers a hiss to himself. He manages to get the hand saw just as one of the Walkers, a kid, managed to pull half of its body through. Crawling towards him with the other Walkers in a frenzy behind it at one of their own getting through, Merle didn't think. He screams and cries as he cuts through the skin and muscle on his arm but keeps going. He'd done this at times when he was in the Army to fellow soldiers that needed amputees, so the blood and sound didn't faze him. The pain he'd experienced overseas, and before that at the hands of Bill Dixon, made it bearable. He stabbed the Walker when it got close enough to him and kept cutting. Down to the bone he pushes himself just a bit more and breaks it close to the stump. The blood pools out in that spot and he grabs his belt to use to stop the bleeding. When it was just a few drops here and there he gets to his feet, swaying from dehydration, blood loss and shock from the pain.

He ignores the Walkers at the door and toss the corpse of the little girl over. He goes to leave but pauses. He goes back to the puddle and pulls out Daryl's Suppressants; he wouldn't succumb to drugs again, and he won't be tempted either. He leaves them, knowing that his baby brother would come looking for him even if he did have Rick and T-Dog looking out for him. He escapes through a side door with the wrench and takes out two of the fuckers. He drops the tool when he sways again, cursing. Leaning against the door he sees a sign for a kitchen and gets an idea. Once inside he turns on the stove, praying a little that it turns on. When the flame lights he puts a piece of metal with a handle on it letting it heat up. He goes to the window and leans his head on it, letting the cool glass help. He turns on the sink while he waits and fills some bowels with the little bit of water that comes out.

Drinking slowly, he regains enough energy to look at the stump that was now his right hand. It had clotted up some but was still bleeding. Merle needed to burn it before the Walker blood from the saw got into his bloodstream. He goes back to the stove where the metal was already red. Taking the belt off he puts it between his teeth and grabs the metal's handle with a couple pot holders. He still feels the heat, but it wouldn't blister his hand to bad. Taking a deep breath through his nose he bites down on the belt and presses the metal to his mangled wrist before he can second guess himself.

The Beta wouldn't be surprised it every Walker in the city came after him because of the noise that came from his throat. He reaches down and folds parts of the skin over the stump and presses the metal down again. He repeats it until the skin came to a point, with he then grounded down to get rid of all the burnt, black, dead skin. Setting the metal down with a shaky hand, he leans against the counter, looking for something to clean up with. A towel is used to wipe off the floor and countertop and one of the last bowels of water is used to clean the blood from his arm. The Beta then searches the room for something to sanitize the wound and finds a bottle of alcohol. He takes a few sips for liquid courage then pours it onto the mess of boiling flesh. He bites down on the belt again and screams, then cleans it off with more water. Grabbing another towel, he wraps it up and sits down with the last of the water, taking slow sips. He tucks his hand into his chest to hold the towel but after the third time it slips off he growls, looking for something to hold it.

He searches the kitchen and a few offices before he finds everything. A metal utensil holder that's small enough is stuffed with the bloody towels and placed over the stump. He takes some thin metal poles from the pan rack and lays them in the fire on the stove, taking the metal piece he used to cauterize his wrist and hammering the pipes flat. He takes some screws from cabinet doors and screws the pipes into the metal covering the stump. Using belts from the Walkers he ties the metal pipes tight against his forearm and bicep. He uses the last and biggest screw to mount a kitchen knife onto the front, so his arm would still be of some use to him as a weapon. Holding it all together is a full roll of duct tape.

Once he finishes his prosthetic, he raids the kitchen for food, piling everything into a duffel bag he'd found in an office. Careful not to jostle his injury to much he secures the kitchen door and tries to settle down for a much-deserved rest. Just as he falls asleep, a loud door banging jolts him awake. The Beta had forgotten to stop focusing his hearing and now was aware of the noise the Walkers on the roof were making. It was drawing more Walkers from down stairs to come investigate while the Walkers upstairs that were losing interest were coming down. Soon the whole floor would be flooded and a little wooden chair under the door knob won't be enough to keep him safe.

He takes the other bloody towel, the one he used to clean up, and places it against the window before jamming his left elbow through the glass. The towel absorbs the noise to an extent and Merle doesn't hear any Walkers coming towards the door, so he pats himself on the back.

A quiet whine leaves him as he steps out onto the fire escape. Daryl won't know where to come looking for him if he's not in the building. He forces himself to remember that's a good thing because his baby brother didn't need to see his Walker if he doesn't make it. Seeing something like that would destroy him.

He makes it down to the alleyway, up the fire escape, and through the window before the first Walker shows up. The chair buckled under the weight of three and Merle snorts, glad he didn't decide to toughen it out in there. More Walkers show up in the alley and Merle backs away from the window. Going out into the hallway, carefully, the Beta extents his hearing to the whole building. Less than a handful are inside, and all are down stairs. He goes into another office and closes the door after lighting a candle to see, then takes his shirt and vest off and filling the cracks with them. He moves the desk and bookcase in front of the door too, which calls out to the Walkers and they migrate up to find the source of the noise. Confidant they can't get through, Merle settles down next to the lit candle and sleeps.

…

Merle spends two days in the office before he leaves Atlanta from the roof tops as much as he can. A ladder across the alley to another building was able to get him to the less populated area with smaller buildings and only small herds of Walkers bordering their hundreds.

The Beta steals gas and puts it into a car with the door wide open and the key still in the ignition. A new battery from one of the other cars just in case and as much gas as he can fill some containers and put them in the trunk. He makes sure the radios off first before he starts the car, remembering the last time he hadn't checked before joining up with the Quarry group.

Some asshole had jacked up his ride and turned the bass up so much the car had almost rocked itself on its side when they turned it on. Not to mention the loud ass rapping that came through the speakers had drawn every Walker in a 20-mile radius to their location. Daryl had refused to hunt for dinner for two weeks because of that so it was up to Merle to provide canned goods from raiding houses. The Beta shakes his head and stops thinking about it. He'd be with his little brother soon. He gets out of the city and all the way to the mountains before noticing something wrong. The RV wasn't visible from the road. A bad feeling in his gut, he drives the rest of the way to the Quarry.

He hits his knees with a small wail when he sees everything gone; the tents, the cars, the PEOPLE. Where was everyone? Then he notices the red charger with a map taped to it, telling someone named Morgan that Atlanta wasn't safe, and the Quarry had been over run. The route to the CDC were highlighted, saying that's where they'd be.

He checks the camp, knowing that Daryl would have left him something if he thought he'd come back. He finds the pile of burnt Walkers, the camp fire pits, the tents of people that died still put up. Which was stupid of the group to not take with them, but whatever. He finds his message with the tent he and Daryl had shared, or right next to it at least. A small hole was dug, and Merle's hunting knife was stabbed into it; a grave marker. Around the hilt was chain and a plastic bag with a piece of paper inside. Taking the paper first Merle reads it.

Daryl tells him he's an asshole if he died and left Daryl alone; he's an asshole if he lived and didn't come back; and he's an asshole if he did come back but not before they left, meaning Daryl was left to wonder. He tells Merle his fear about the group finding out and making him leave or worst; tells him about their decision to go to the CDC and that Daryl was taking his bike and truck cause fuck him if he's dead he don't need them, and Daryl wanted something to remember him by.

Merle just laughs while he reads the note and then puts it in the bag again and puts it into his pocket. When he meets up again with his baby brother they'd laugh together and burn the letter. He pulls the chain up and whines loudly, his good mood disappearing.

They were his dog tags, the ones he'd given Daryl. Attached to it was the two little aluminum can pieces Daryl had made when he was younger; sanded down edges so it wouldn't cut them and then fit with a rubber cover for extra protection. Carved into the metal of one was the letters C.G.R.O.M.E; can't get rid of me easily. The other read a two-word question/demand; come home. Merle had a matching set on his copy of Daryl's tags around his neck. Daryl had followed Merle's footsteps into the Military; joining the Army instead of the Marines like his brother though. Merle had served two tours where Daryl had only served one. They kept the tags and the little aluminum trinkets with them everywhere they went. And now Daryl was marking his brother's grave with his tags, a true honor.

Their mother had helped his boys make them before Merle had been deployed the first time. They made their mom a bracelet made from deer hide with the same acronym Daryl had stained into the leather. They burned it and spread its remains into the forest along with their mother's ashes once Merle had gotten home a year later. The Beta makes his way to his car, taking the map with him, and drives to the CDC, Daryl's tags around his neck and his in his pocket.

It's not a real long drive, two days at most, but he does have to stop and refill the tank at least once. When he gets there, he pulls over and cries. The building was gone; the rubble still smoking, pumping white smoke into the sky. His little brother, his little Daryl was gone. He doesn't move for a long time, pulling his tags out and putting them on too, clutching them all in one hand, even as Walkers start to surround the car.

He mourns for his brother, the little Omega he'd raised like his own and made sure would be able to handle himself should anyone try to force him into anything. He mourns his brother's laugh that was as rare as their daddy's sober days, and he mourns the man and family he'd always prayed Daryl would have and become. When the sun starts to set, and the Walkers disperse, Merle leaves Atlanta behind him. He remembered Officer Friendly, Rick, telling Morales and the others about where he was from, the little town with a little number of Walkers.

That would be a good place to start; he needed to find a new group. He needed to find this Morgan.

…..

King County wasn't that far from Lipton County where their uncle Jesse lived, less than a half hour drive. Rick and the Dixon brothers had probably gone to the same grocery stores and churches. Rick might've even brought his car over to the garage Merle and Daryl had worked at to get his oil changed or shit. It was surreal, but the little town was cute. Merle finds the hospital Rick had woken up in and searches it for medicine, then heads out to the Army base and picks out some new weapons. Knives, guns, and ammo are all stored into a new car that gets better mileage, along with the meds he'd gotten. Rick was a fucking idiot for leaving without this stuff, though if it had only been a week since he got up then it made it a little more sense.

The Beta heads over to the neighborhoods, looking for anything be might be able to find. It's chance that he sees the jeep with guns in it, and he doesn't waste time. Pulling up in front of this little house he's about to grab them and go when he hears a heartbeat; a fast one, a scared one. Walker growls has him inside before he knows what he's doing, and the slight smell of Omega has him digging his new prosthetic weapon into the Walker's head just as it goes to bite down on the young Omega's neck.

"NO! DUANE!" A male Alpha jumps up the last steps from the basement and pulls the pup closer as it starts to chirp in terror, the Omega's tears flee from wide eyes. His father, because he has to be his father, checks the boy over for bites or scratches. When he finds none, he sobs in relief and scents his pup to calm him, purring softly.

"Daddy, who's that?" The pup, Duane as his dad calls him, points at Merle where the Beta had fallen. Merle bites his lip to keep from screaming in pain, the scent of blood high in the air. The Walker's teeth were biting down on Merle's prosthetic instead of the Omega's glands, with the knife embedded in its neck at an upwards angle. The amputation was bleeding again because of it being jostled to much and Merle had fallen backwards with the Walker to keep its nails away from the pup's skin.

The Beta pushes the Walker away and sits up, finding two guns pointed at his head. He raises his hand and the prosthetic in the air. "No harm no foul. Just making sure it was a clear house. I can see it's occupied so I'll make my leave."

"Wait." The Alpha demands. Merle's hackles raise, but he forces himself to calm down. The Alpha wasn't trying to control him, he was protecting his pup. That was something Merle understood well. "What's your wound? Don't lie I can smell the blood."

Merle points at his metal covered wrist and nods towards Duane. "Pretty graphic, might want to close your eyes pup."

The Alpha's eyes narrow in confusion but he still consents to his son turning around. Most Betas refer to the young as children, not pups. This one was raised around mostly the other dynamics instead of Betas. When he pulls the metal contraction off and the towel, it reveals a red, irritated stump. The Beta starts talking, "Wasn't bit or nothin'. Got it caught in something to close to a herd; didn't want to be eaten and couldn't get the whole thing out so…."

"How long ago? It doesn't look like it happened today." The Alpha lowers his gun.

"Maybe a couple of days now?" The Beta shrugs, "Names Merle Dixon." He waits for the look of disgust or wary understanding but only got a nod and name in return. Morgan and Duane Jones were obviously not locals.

"You must be the ones Officer Friendly mentioned." Merle hands the map to the Alpha.

"Rick?" Morgan reads it, "He's a part of your group?"

"I guess." Merle shrugs, putting the contraption back over his stump just as Duane turns around, "Was with them when he left me in Atlanta. That's a death trap and the CDCs gone. Wouldn't bother heading in that direction if I was you."

"You saved my son, let me bind your wound better. Come on." Morgan has Merle follow him to the house they had been held up in and bring both of their hauls inside. The Alpha cleans the Beta's wrist and scrapes off the rest of the dead skin that Merle hadn't gotten the first time. While they eat Merle tells them about how he got stuck on the rooftop to Atlanta, including the words that had landed him in handcuffs. When Morgan hears the reference to the word he growls at the Beta, to which Merle spread his arms, allowing the Alpha to punish him should he wish to.

"I spent over eighteen years of my life hearing that word fall from my old man's mouth more than him demanding his beer. Wasn't a habit I kicked easy, but I did. When it gets around my son's anniversary, I fall off the wagon damn hard. Old habits come back to haunt me. Not something I'm proud of." Merle sighs, running a hand over his face.

"Your son died?" Duane asked, "What happen?"

"He got sick; pneumonia. It's been years since it happened though. His name was Lemuel, but we called him Lemmy. He was bi-racial; Afro-American and Hispanic. Was one of the neighborhood kids that had a limp; a runt. Took him in when no one else would and loved him like my own. His death anniversary was last week." Merle wipes his eyes and clears his throat, "If you don't want me around just let me know and I'll leave come morning. You have to protect your pup, I can understand that."

"What kind of neighborhood did you come from?" Morgan asks.

"It was a Polkrato Pack. We moved to a New-School area when my baby brother Daryl presented an Omega. They'd have shot him dead had I not made a deal with my sire and if my uncle hadn't of bought him until he turned eighteen and switched over." Duane whines at that and his dad purrs in comfort.

The two share a look and then the Alpha asks about Rick, "Aren't you meeting up with the rest of your Pack later?"

Merle swallows, "They're gone. They went to the CDC, but that place runs on electricity and generators just like every other building. When it runs out of juice the air tight building opens, and that can release millions of diseases and viruses. Weaponized smallpox and sh- stuff like that. The CDC is designed to self-destruct should it run out of power to keep that from happening."

"You sure know a lot about it; did ya work there?" Duane gets excited and looks to his dad to make sure he wasn't overstepping. Merle looks to him as well. When the Alpha nods his permission Merle answers by pulling out his dog tags.

"Marines, two tours. Ya pick up on some things in that kind of work."

"That's so cool!" Duane pulls out a pair too from his shirt, "Dad was a combat medic in the Navy."

Morgan and Merle share a nod of acknowledgement, then clean up the rest of the food, and hunker down to sleep. Merle let's Duane play with his makeshift prosthetic until he falls asleep while Merle and Morgan talk about their military experiences. The Alpha settles down with his pup and grooms his hair while he purrs.

"Where are you planning on going now if you don't stay with us?" When Merle shrugs Morgan tells him that he's welcome to stay with them.

"You want a racist, redneck, asshole around your pup? Really?"

"You don't give me a reason to kill you and I won't." Merle laughs and shakes Morgan's hand, their gland oils mixing as the bond forms.

Merle watches his new Pack Alpha lay down next to his pup, while the Beta settles in to take first watch. "I got some plans for this place; make it secure for our Pack. Tell ya'll all about it in the mornin'. Sleep well Alpha."

…

Andrea and Michonne had been traveling with each other for a few days when they come across a wall, spray painted with the words: GO AWAY, STAY AWAY.

The Alpha and Beta grab their weapons and hold them out in front of them. Michonne ties the two Walkers up to a light post and they make their way through it, coming out into a small village like town. There were cars lining the streets with large wooden spears sticking out of the windows and trunks. Wooden gaylords were braced against cars as well, forcing them to follow a path down the middle of the street.

There was more spray paint on the road reading: TURN AROUND AND LIVE.

They duck under some barbed wire and get about halfway down the road when they find themselves surrounded. A preteen in full police riot gear and ski mask points an AK-47 assault rifle at them, stand at the twelve. Two men in the same clothes with military issued Yankee Hill Machine M4s stand at their eight and four, one was bracing his gun with a MacGyver looking prosthetic where his right hand should have been. There was an Alpha, a Beta, and an Omega; a full Pack even if it was small. Andrea brings her gun up and leaves it with the Alpha male while Michonne keeps her sword pointed between the other two.

Just as the Alpha brings up his own gun to shoot, the Beta steps in the way. "Woah, woah, woah, easy Alpha! They don't mean no harm; I can vouch for blondie."

"How do you know I don't mean any harm?" Andrea demands pointing her gun at him.

"Because I know you, you won't shoot a man for protecting his Omegan son." The Beta pulls his mask off and spreads his arms wide with a shit eating grin. "Now why don't you give your old pal Merle a big hug?"


	3. Daryl

"Dick's?" Rick looks from Glenn to Maggie, making sure the two Alphas weren't playing with him, "You're sure?"

"Totally." Glenn shifts, wanting to preen in pride at his find, but unsure of Rick's reaction.

"We checked it out from afar. It looks legit." Maggie adds, resting her hip against Glenn's in a silent support of her Mate-to-be. Rick sees it and smiles, purring as the Alphas sigh in relief. The Pack had been in the same house for a month since they ran from Walmart and resources were running low in the neighborhood. The two Alphas had been on a run and came across an overrun encampment in front of a Dick's sporting goods. There wasn't many Walkers hanging around, and they hadn't gone inside. If what the two of them were saying was true, the winter might be easier to deal with than Rick thought, especially if the camping and hunting gear was still there in bulk.

"I'll run the idea over with the others; nicely done. I'm proud of you guys." Rick hugs both Alphas, chuckling when Glenn whines into his glands with happiness at Rick's approval. They go and unload the food they found on their run. It's when everyone settles in for lunch that Rick brings it up, letting Glenn and Maggie fill everyone in on the details.

"Are we sure it's safe?" Hershel asks.

"The windows and doors weren't broken." Glenn shakes his head, "It looks like there was a hole in one of the gates and then everyone panicked. The rest of the fences were pushed out, like the group had run them over fleeing from the Walkers. There was hardly any blood or bodies; it didn't smell too bad like some other places. I don't think they all got turned, if any did."

"Why a Dick's?" Carl and Sophia snicker after the pups asks.

"Because it's a gold mind, especially come winter." Daryl speaks up, "The clothes are designed for long periods in the cool and cold air to keep you warm. Thick but lightweight coats and pants. Good leather work boots, and water boots we can use in the snow. Thick gloves with hand warmers. The paintball gear is definitely something we'll need."

"Paintball? Are you for real?" Beth scoffs in disbelief.

Daryl doesn't make a big deal out of the other Omega's reaction, looking at all their faces and the confusion there. All except Rick and Carl, who were smiling. The pup was the one to put the pieces together for the rest of them. "Dad took me paintballing once with some other guys and kids from our church group and it was awesome! Their guns go all the way from 'handguns' to 'high powered rifles'. The boxes of paintballs come in as many as two thousand in one box! We never finished the one we got, and we were there for almost two hours! The gear we got was cool too; we had these harnesses that went over our chest to hold extra paintball rounds, and fingerless gloves to help with blisters. Leg and hip holsters for the smaller guns like dad's. They also have full chest and head and neck pieces, including BFGPs."

"BFGPs? What are those?" T-Dog asks. Some of the others were smiling, obviously putting together what Rick and Daryl were thinking.

"Bite Free Gland Protectors." Rick supplies. "They're commonly used by Omegas who share their heats with others that don't want to be Marked or Bonded. It's like leather and chainmail that goes over the neck and shoulders, protecting the glands from an Alpha's teeth or in this case, a stray paintball. Getting hit there is one of the worst places because the glands are so sensitive. Most law enforcements were them; police, firefighters, paramedics, doctors, lawyers, anyone dealing with inmates or felons are required to use them even if they're not an Omega for protection. Government funded Breeders; GBs are required to wear one to work too. They sell them in most stores just for recreational or religious uses now-a-days."

"But why would we need paintballs? I still don't understand how that's going to help us?" Beth was getting frustrated, they could hear it in her voice. Daryl goes over and sits next to her and Hershel, pointing at the fire.

"How much ammo do you think we got left? How many of you can shoot; were trained in gun care past the farm?" The Theta smiles, "We use the paintball guns and paintballs to teach you guys how to shoot and aim for targets, like headshots. Work on ya'll accuracy without wasting all our bullets. Teach ya'll gun safety without putting anyone at risk because while a stray paintball can sting and bruise badly, and as long as there's some distance, we can shake it off. While we teach you guys that, we can work on learning to care for and clean the real guns."

"Plus, Dick's has a wide selection for hunting, camping, clothing and footwear." Rick adds in, "We'll need that stuff for winter."

"They also have portable heaters that don't use electricity or batteries." Glenn looks around at everyone, "they run off the oxygen around us as long as it's not too thin. So as long as we don't go to Mt. Everest they should work. Heats up a space of 400 square feet, max. My family had one for a while, when they moved to Michigan. It was able to get our house real warm for being so small. That's something we're going to need regardless if we stay there."

"Are we all agreed then, we camp out there for as long as possible?" Rick lets his Pack make the final decision; he was sold already. But if everyone was going to stay then everyone needed to be on board. When everyone agrees to it, Rick smiles, "So then it's settled. We get whatever supplies we need to from these houses and we move on."

"I don't know how I feel about this. Dick's is filled with dangerous weapons; guns and hunting knives that pump oxygen into animals to make them explode and all the dead animal heads on the walls-"

"All the more reason to go." Daryl cuts Lori off, "Your here cause of the pup. Don't make it any harder than it must be. You move with the Pack or you move without it, but you don't get a say in where we go."

He goes over to Rick and places his hand on the Prime's shoulder, grabbing his bow while Rick scents him, "Goin' hunting. See if I can find something better than canned condiments."

Rick laughs and sends him on his way, seeing him out the gate on his way to his watch shift. Lori follows him, the whole Pack watching her approach the Prime. Rick growls when she goes to wrap her arms around his waist and moves away from her, causing her to scuff and glare while she crossed them across her chest instead.

"What do you want?" Rick grits his teeth.

"I want you to think about this. Is this the right decision for all of us; this house is stable enough, we don't need to move onto another place right now. Especially not to a department store filled with things that can hurt or kill us if we're not watching our every step."

"We live in a world that's trying to kill us, or did you happen to forget about the Walkers that eat people hiding behind every corner while you were reading your romance novels? Those weapons you're so afraid of will give us a fighting chance. The guns will help everyone, so will the camping gear and heaters. They have blunt weapons like bats and stuff we could use. Starting with paintballs will build confidence with Carol and Beth and Sophia so they aren't scared to use them. Carl needs a weapon that's not as heavy as the one he was using at the farm. The knives benefit everyone. There was a lake not to far from here that we can go fishing, Glenn said his grandfather taught him and Andrea and Amy brushed him up on anything he forgot before the Quarry fell. Daryl could find more arrows for his crossbow and-"

"Don't." Lori snaps.

"What?" Rick glares, setting his hand on his python. When the Beta just shakes her, Rick pushes on. "No. You didn't say shit until I mentioned Daryl. I've seen some of the looks you send him; I've heard you call him a Knot Clencher. You better explain, now."

Rick hears several growls and snarls when the slur comes from him, but they're all aimed at the Beta. Lori's face turns red and she growls, "That right there! Look I get it ok, Alphas have urges but sometimes I wonder if you care about US at all. You have people looking to you for guidance or whatever. You need to be focused on them and being a leader; not chasing tail with some stupid Omegan slut that's just going to-" SLAP!

Lori's holds her face as it changes red from the handprint on her cheek. Rick stood frozen as she threw everything in his face, doubting himself, so he didn't see Carl move until afterwards. Daryl was suddenly by his side pulling the pup away from Lori while she looks at the boy in disbelief.

"DON'T CALL HIM THAT! YOU CAN'T TALK TO DAD LIKE THAT AND DON'T GET TO CALL DARYL THAT, LORI~~!"

"CARL!" Rick snaps out of it and picks the pup up by his scruff, and away from Daryl. Turning Carl to him he sees tears in the boy's eyes; his red eyes. Carl was presenting.

"We need to go now." The Pack moves quick to take the camp down and put everything into the vans. Rick, Daryl, and Lori stay with Carl while they do that.

"Carl you can't say stuff like that." Rick makes his pup meet his eyes. "You can't; not to her."

"She gave me up." Carl returns, "She didn't want us that's why she drew up the divorce papers and Renounced me. I let her stay because she WAS my mother and cause the baby doesn't deserve to die cause it's mother is selfish. If she says something like that again, not even the baby will be enough for her to stay." Carl runs over to Carol and Sophia, wiping his eyes. As he passes Lori reaches out for him, the dark look in her eyes has Rick bending her wrist with a low growl. Daryl puts his hand on his knife; staying right behind his Prime, waiting for his signal.

"Act like you're going to raise your hand to anyone in my Pack again, especially my pup, and I will drop you in the middle of a Herd." Rick leave the Beta where she is, and Daryl follows with a shallow growl at the woman, pushing past her.

Rick takes the supplies van with Carl, to calm the pup and keep him from the Omegas. Even though he knew Carl wouldn't do anything, or even think about doing anything, it was better to keep him away. There was no need to have the Omegas going into heat, especially now when they didn't have Suppressants if they could prevent it.

Glenn drove in front, leading them to the department store. When they get there they find the encampment deserted, and they pull the vans right into the building. Rick tries to decide who he was going to take to check the building, but Daryl just pushes over a display case, breaking the glass and making the sound echo through the store. Two Walkers come out of the aisles and are dealt with and Rick turns to the Theta, wanting an explanation for the unnecessary noise. When Daryl herds Sophia out of the car with her mother, both smelling sticky sweet, the Prime turns away and grabs a tent, setting it up as quickly as possible. Daryl gets them situated inside while Glenn distracts Carl, the pup's red eyes keep wandering back to where the three Omegas were, his nose twitching. The pup could smell the heat coming off them and was curious as to what it was. Rick relieves Glenn so the Alpha could help unload the vans of their equipment. He has Carl help putting up tents, the young pup was glaring and baring his teeth at Lori anytime she got close to the Pack. When the Beta moves close to the Omega tent, just putting down crates and not being a bitch for once, Rick has to pull the snarling pup from Lori's reach and sends her away.

"You can't attack people Carl, even Lori. You're in rut right now and once we get everything situated we'll deal with it correctly, but you can't attack people for getting close to you." Rick purrs while he pets Carl's neck and hair in an attempt to calm the boy.

"I'm sorry." Carl huffs, earning a pull on his ear as a reminder to behave, "I don't want Lori close to her."

"Her?" Rick raises an amuse eyebrow.

Carl turns a deep red all the way down to his neck, "Them. I meant them; the Omegas. Not that they can't protect themselves or anything, I'm not saying that but-"

"You're presenting." Daryl climbs out of the tent with a little laugh, "An Alpha by the smell of it. That's a normal response for an Alpha in rut towards an Omega, especially with one in heat like Sophia is."

"But I thought she already her heat, why's she having another one?" Carl tilts his head to look around Daryl at the tent. Rick thought it was cute his pup had a crush on Sophia; his pup was in love for the first time and had no idea what he was doing.

"Your rut triggered it, because she wasn't completely done with her heat. We just put her on Suppressant, which we no longer have." Daryl turns to Rick, "Carol's staying with her right now but Carol's fertile scent is fading. I think she's becoming an Elder, and with her instincts with the pups and her submissive nature…"

"You're think she's a Lambda." Daryl nods and Rick considers it. "I'll talk to her after we get Sophia calm."

"What's a Lambda?" Carl asks. Rick swallows his bitterness for Lori; if Carl had been raised around more than just Betas, in a Pack environment, he would have known what one was; would have had one himself.

"A Lambda is like the Pack babysitter; the Caregiver of the Pack's pups. Carol would officially be responsible for caring for you, Sophia and any pups there may be in the future when you're not in the care of your parents."

"Basically, what she's doing now but with a higher ranking and more say over punishments and rewards for ya." Daryl cuts in. Rick shoots him a look. Carl was still watching the tent and was making tiny movements to get closer to it.

"Then as the Lambda I think Carl can come in if he wants to." Carol smiles from the tent opening. "We locked him out of the RV back at the farm and being on the road hasn't given them much time to play together. Omegas and Alphas need contact during their cycles; as long as someone is watching at all time I see no reason they can't help each other."

Rick looks at Daryl, gaging his reaction. When the Theta shrugs the Prime asks Carol to check if Sophia wanted Carl there. When he gets a confirmation from both female Omegas he walks Carl to the tent. "If any of them tell you to leave, you do not argue. You leave and come find me or Daryl, understand?"

"Yes sir." With a pat on the shoulder, Carl walks over to Carol, scenting her before going in.

"Hey Sophia look, I got a pack of cards. Now we can play." Carl sits across from the Omega, but close enough for their legs to intertwine. Rick goes back to looking for supplies they might need later.

It's while he is looking for gloves to prevent blisters that he finds arrows. Someone had moved them away from the weapons area in a somewhat large box. Bow and crossbow bolts were mixed together but Rick picked it up anyway. Daryl would be able to tell the difference, and maybe he'd be able to use some more arrows. He puts the box in his tent and checks on the Pack. Everyone had gathered around the fire pit where Beth and Hershel were making food; the tents circled the pit with Glenn's heaters between each one. The doors were blocked by the vans, they had parked them sideways, the back ends against each other to block the view of the outside. All their supplies were in boxes around the campsite.

The only two tents that were away from the others were the Omega's and Daryl's. Rick checked in with them and found Carol reading while the pups slept huddled together; Daryl was keeping watch and still double checking the aisles from the second floor. Rick went upstairs. Daryl smelled off and it took the Prime a minute to realize that Daryl was keeping his distance because he was in heat too.

The smell coming off him wasn't sweet like Sophia, like honey, but rich. The smell of rain and wet dirt coated in pine; a forest after a thunderstorm. Rick couldn't help shudder at the smell; some would find it un-appealing because it made Daryl smell beautiful and dangerous. Rick found the smell to be inviting and cleansing; he wanted to bask in it, and that made him stay away. If Daryl found out Rick found his scent attractive, his heat scent no less, the Alpha would have an arrow in his ass before he could blink.

"Find anything?" He asks the Omega. Daryl glances at him and swallows, one shoulder lifted higher than the other. He was nervous around Rick right now, and Rick could understand why. The Alpha sits down on one of the shoe display cases and shows Daryl his neck before taking one of the shoes and examining it. He was telling Daryl that the Theta was in control and the Prime wasn't a threat to him.

"Some birds." The Omega holds up a Nike bag. "Figure we could enjoy some fresh meat."

Daryl ducks his head with pink cheeks when Rick purrs in approval. The Pack had food for now, even jerky from a deer Daryl had caught days ago, and yet the Theta was still providing food for them.

' _Omega can provide.'_ Rick's instincts tell him, ' _Strong Omega; good Omega. Make a good M-'_

"We appreciate it Daryl, truly. Thank you." Rick says instead. He didn't need a new Mate so soon after Lori's betrayal. The Alpha needs to focus on his son, his pup, who was presenting and needed him, but maybe when things calm down… no. Daryl wouldn't want a broken Alpha like him. Not one that came with baggage named Lori.

"I'm sure they would have emergency Suppressants in this place, I could find some if you want. Sophia's going to go through a whole 'nother heat so soon after her last; I'm not sure that's healthy."

"Why're you asking me?"

"You're the Theta." Rick shrugs, "Your call."

Daryl sits next to Rick on the display and pulls off his boots, picking up another pair off the ground and putting them on instead. Rick would have to remember to get the Pack socks, Daryl's feet were a minefield of blisters.

"Can if ya want, but I doubt they'd work well." The Alpha nods. They had used Daryl's Suppressants before because the over the counter ones hadn't worked and with those being lost to the farm….

Below, T-Dog was walking over to the Omega tent with food and stopped, calling out to Carol. When she gave permission to come closer, the Beta looks up to Daryl. The Theta gives a thumbs up then points behind the man to Lori, who was making her way over to the tent, and gives a thumbs down. T-Dog gives the food to Carol then stands guard, refusing Lori entrance to the Omega tent. When she starts to kick up a fuss, Maggie comes over and they grab Lori and start dragging her away. Lori fights back and they drop her; when she goes to smack T-Dog, her equal in her eyes, Daryl jumps to his feet and leans over the railing, a loud snarling growl echoes down. The Pack freezes and looks up as Rick comes to stand next to the Theta.

"Lori. Back away, NOW!" The Beta does so, backs away towards the tent. Both Rick and Daryl snarl this time, and so does Carl from the tent. The pups red eyes glare at the woman and when she reaches out for the boy the Pack moves as one to get closer to remove her from the situation. Her scream stops them, and she yanks her bleeding hand away from Carl's mouth. The pup had bit her, to protect the two Omegas in the tent with him. Sophia pulls him backwards, away from the tent door so Carol could get out and stand before Lori as well.

"Hershel," she says, "will you go fix her hand. Lori, the next time you come near this tent, I'll sink MY teeth in you."

The Pack goes back to what they were doing and Hershel looks at Lori's hand. Rick watches for a moment then goes and sits back down, Daryl following.

"So not just an adrenaline junkie then?" The Omega snorts, "Got some other kinks there Officer Friendly?"

Rick shifts his pants a little and Daryl laughs. The Omega leans forward to catch Rick's eyes, "I could smell it after I growled. My nose is much more sensitive in heat, and you're not really trying to hide your arousal. That turned you on; me growling?"

"I'm not used to it, but I mean… I've always been bi, known since I was a kid that I was attracted to both Alphas and Omegas." Daryl hums in acknowledgement, "And mine and Lori's sex life pretty much died before it began. So, when I watched porn…. the Alphas that would growl while they fucked…."

"Well that was pretty fucking open." Daryl raises an eyebrow at the Alpha.

"I'm sitting here with a boner I got from you growling." Rick shrugs, "Figured it wouldn't be much of a problem."

Daryl laughs and nods at the Pack, "Let's get back and grab some food. But first." The Omega surprises Rick by burying his nose in the Alpha's glands and breathing deep, intending for it to go no further than that. Rick bares his neck to give him more room and breathes him in in return. The Omega grabs the back of Rick's neck and flexes his fingers, like he's unsure if he wants to hold on. The Alpha purrs and tightens his grip on Daryl's neck, and the Omega holds on with a whine. They smell each other for a while, shuddering against one another as they shift closer. When they finally pull away and rest their foreheads together, Daryl was practically in Rick's lap. Their boners rub together, and Rick bares his teeth with a whine. The Omega push against him with more force, more purpose, and the Alpha gasps.

"Daryl, wait…. your heat…."

"Gives me a little more confidence… less doubting myself…. let it." Daryl grabs Rick's chin and kisses him. The Alpha in him surges and he kisses back, rutting against Daryl's thrust. High on heat and the smell of each other, they almost get off together when Daryl rips himself away, grabs his crossbow and takes off down the stairs and out one of the service doors leading outside the store. Rick pants and makes his way further back in the aisle, and with the smell of the rainforest in his nose, he knots his hand like a teenager.

Daryl would never forgive him; he took advantage of an Omega in their heat and almost used him to get off. His lip pulls back in anger at himself, ' _Disgusting Alpha.'_

He changes clothes and leaves the ruin mess of jeans and underwear in one of the trash cans on the second floor. There was a huge wet spot on the crotch and thighs from Rick's cum and Daryl's slick, and if Daryl caught them in Rick's tent…

Rick goes down to the dining area and grabs some food, tells a worried Glenn that Daryl had run outside because he thought he heard something and they were going to stay out there for a bit on watch. He takes the food to the door and goes outside, planning his apology in advance just in case.

….

Daryl enjoyed the taste of Rick's tongue, the few times it met his. He wanted to suck it into his mouth and allow it to coat his teeth in Rick's saliva. He ignores the small voice in his head that sounded like his father, telling him this Alpha would use his hole like he was bred to be used and leave him. Rick wasn't like that, and Daryl was grateful for it. This Alpha was the one who brought him Suppressants, the one who went back for Merle, the one who allowed him to live with his Pack and care for his pup, for all the Omegas and pup. He protected his pup, and Daryl, with a brutal strength that made Daryl's instincts keen in pleasure.

The Omega could still see Rick's hand through Shane's chest, covered in blood. He could see Rick's fangs and almost red eyes when Lori insulted Daryl, can feel the Alpha's hands searing heat into his waist when he groomed Rick's hair.

' _Good Alpha; my good Alpha.'_

' _Not my Alpha.'_

' _Not yet.'_

' _No, not yet.'_ Daryl agrees with his instincts and grinds harder into Rick's boner. The Alpha tightens his hold on Daryl's neck and waist in a gentle hold, his thumb rubbing against his glands. The Omega purrs and shifts again, feeling something harden under him, and a gust of slick leaves him as he feels Rick's knot. He almost reaches for the Alpha's pants when he freezes. Pulling away like he's been burned, he bolts for a door, barely remembering to grab his bow.

No, Daryl refused to be an Alpha's breeding whore like his father tried to make him. Rick was a good Alpha, and Daryl liked him as both an Alpha and a man, but he would have to earn Daryl the was Alphas earn their Omegan Mates centuries ago. Rick would have to court him; Rick would have to give Chase.

The Omega ran outside with slick running down his thighs and a flush to his glands. He rubs the oils over the door and sits on some creates next to it to get his slick there, then takes off towards the next building, leaving a trail for the Alpha to follow. He goes upstairs of the next building and waits; if Rick came outside then the Chase was on, but if he didn't, Daryl would have to give up until next time. He'd have to wait for one of them to make another move on the other to try to make Rick Chase again.

Daryl purrs and whimpers in excitement when Rick walks outside with food. ' _Alpha brought food to the Chase,'_ Daryl thinks, ' _Lori was twice the idiot that she was before for letting this man go. Especially to someone like Shane.'_

Daryl almost laughs when Rick stumbles as he comes out of the door, staring at it like it bit him, right at the spot….

' _Oh.'_ Daryl deflates and gets his bow, ready to go back _, 'Rick didn't know Daryl left for a Chase.'_

He stops when he sees the Alpha put the food down and his excitement grows when Rick smells the door, then the creates. Alpha was giving Chase. Daryl slicks more when Rick turns to the building and sprints, and the Omega starts rubbing his slick and gland oils all over the room, then bolts down the stairs just as Rick comes into the room. Daryl makes it to a small grouping of trees when Rick comes out of the building, red eyes and fangs. The Omega climbs a tree, knowing he won't get away from a rutting Alpha.

Rick ends up at the bottom of the tree, crooning up at Daryl. He noticed the Alpha's face was elongated with a snout and fur was sprouting from random patches of skin. His shoes were gone as his feet and hands had shrunk to half. If Rick could turn into a full Lycan with a wolf form the size would be just right for his large paws.

"What's the matter Alpha?" Daryl teases. Walkers started coming out of the woods and Daryl's smile fades, "RICK!"

The Alpha turns around and pulls a branch up from the ground before swinging it at the Walkers heads. He decapitates three of them and bashes two other heads in. He turns back to the tree and starts trying to climb it to get to Daryl, the blood of the undead staining his shirt and hands.

The Theta swallows a whine, his pants soaked in slick and pre-cum. God he wanted this Alpha; he'd have to act before his heat ended or he'd never act on it. "Rick?"

The Alpha's red eyes found Daryl's blue ones and holds them. With each blink, Rick's face and body return to normal and he backs away in shock. "Daryl…...?"

The Omega climbs down quickly and starts checking Rick for bites or scratches, purring and rubbing their glands together to calm the Alpha. When he pulls out a rag and starts wiping the blood off, Rick whines and allows himself to be groomed. When he's done, Daryl reaches up and digs his fingers in Rick's curls, pulling, and makes the Alpha's eyes turn red again.

"Catch me." Daryl takes off towards the building across from Dick's again, shooting a Walker on the way in. Rick finally catches him in the room Daryl had used as a watch post at the beginning of the Chase. The Alpha pushes Daryl against the door but when Daryl tenses, he pulls them to the floor, the Omega straddling his thighs, facing him. He kicks the door shut as another Walker shows up, the automatic lock clicking into place. Rick just breathes in Daryl's scent and purrs, and when the Omega joins in, he presents him with his lost arrow.

Daryl grinds into Rick's lap afraid he'd lose his nerve if they waited any longer. They grind and thrust against each other until they cum, Rick's hand once again holding his knot. They wait until their pants are mostly dried before they head back, killing two more Walkers. It was just getting dark when they reach the door to go back to the Pack and Rick pulls Daryl into a hug before he could enter.

"Rick?"

"Please tell me you won't regret this… what we did or might do." The Alpha rumbles sadly against Daryl's glands, "I like you Daryl and I know you're wary around Alphas because of your past with them. But I don't want to ruin whatever kind of relationship we have, as friends or Packmates."

"Or more?" Rick tightens his hold on Daryl and the Omega holds on tighter as well. "I ain't wary of you or the others, you're good people; you're a good Alpha. I ain't gonna regret this, even if I act closed off once my heats done. Never."

They kiss a lite, lingering, touch of lips, then join the Pack again. As everyone settles down with Maggie and Glenn on watch, Rick drops off the box of arrows and a quiver he'd found outside Daryl's tent. A courting gift for when he came back from checking on the Omegas. Carl had done well, but they sent him to Rick's tent when everyone started to sleep, not wanting to push their luck. Carl was an Alpha, had popped his knot early the next morning much to the embarrassment of the newly presented and the amusement of the others.

Rick and Daryl had gotten a few looks from the Pack at the strong smell of each other but they kept it together for almost two weeks, taking an hour a day to Chase each other and get off before returning to their duties. Rick was teaching the Pack clearing techniques for houses and bigger buildings while Daryl taught and practiced the hunting whistles with them. Everyone pitched in with gun lessons. The hunting section provided a few handguns that would be a better weight for the pups, and several silencers. No more loud noises calling herds upon them. Beth and Carol did well with the paintball guns as training wheels, as did Sophia and Carl to a lesser extent. Sophia had become a mini-Daryl, wanting to learn a non-gun weapon and choosing a smaller, pink camo crossbow for beginners that Daryl had fixed to shoot far enough to be useful. The Theta even talked about teaching her to hunt with it once they were sure the place would be stable enough.

After two weeks of foreplay, when Rick and Daryl meet again in their building, in their room, Daryl takes it a step further. The Omega was on the Alpha's lap and grinding again. This time Daryl shifts so Rick's cock thrusted against the cloth between Daryl's ass. He whines and pulls Rick with him as he falls back, the Alpha now covering him and thrusting against his hole. God did that feel different. The Omega reaches down and undoes Rick's jeans with shaking hands.

"Hey shhhh." Rick croons trying to calm the Omega. When he goes to pull away, Daryl growls and pulls him back. Rick groans and rubs against his ass again. Fuck.

"Ain't gonna regret this." Daryl whispers, "I want it to be an Alpha I trust. Not to some fucking group like Randel's."

Daryl trusted Rick with this; his heat, his first…. Rick almost growls at what Daryl implied. The Omega would rather Rick, an Alpha he trusted who was Pack, to take his virginity instead of being caught right out of his heat by another group that would take turns raping him until they felt like killing him. Rick understood that, could respect that.

"Does this mean you accept my courting?" Rick wanted to make sure this was done right.

"Fuck yeah." Daryl kisses him again and they pull off their pants and underwear just enough to do what they needed. There would be other times to strip each other. Rick presses one finger in Daryl's hole to test how slick he was, and to make sure Daryl really wanted this. If he flinched or took too long to loosen up, Rick would put it off until another day. He refused to harm Daryl because he wanted him. When the finger goes in with no resistance, Rick growls his approval.

"Do you want control or do you want me to?" he asks the Omega.

"You start, I'll take over if I need too." Rick knows that Daryl wasn't making a crack about him being unable to perform like Lori would have. This was strictly for Daryl's comfort and the Alpha purrs in pleasure that the Omega wasn't so far gone he'd push aside his comfort just so Rick would fuck him. The Alpha faces a little resistance when he inches in but once the head pushes past the opening it gets easier.

"Not going to break." Daryl huffs.

"And I'm not going to hurt you. This is your first time."

"Maybe with an Alpha's cock in my ass but not the first time I've had something up there." Daryl smirks and grabs Rick's hair, pulling with a growl, "Take me Alpha."

One hard thrust and Rick was balls deep in the Omega's ass. "That's playing dirty."

"Dirty like you in my ass when neither of us have access to showers…. or toilet paper?" Rick barks out a laugh, his head falling to Daryl's shoulder while both of them giggle and snort.

"Did you really make a poop joke while we're having sex?" Rick snorts.

"I can make another one; my slick isn't the only thing making the passage wet." Rick almost pulled out when he roared with laughter.

"Diarrhea? You're nasty."

"Yet your cocks still inside me."

"Mmhmm." Rick thrust quickly, pulling a gasp from the Omega. "Do you want to continue or are you going to keep making jokes about your shit."

"Fucking shit Rick." They laugh and keep going, small quick thrust and long deep ones that pull groans from both of them. After about twenty minutes of panting and giggles, the two talking about which way was a better angle and snorts whenever they hear squishing sounds from below the belt, Daryl turns them over and thrust down into Rick's lap.

The Alpha grips his waist and holds tight as Daryl gasps at the angle change, Rick's dick pounding right on his prostate. "Alpha."

Rick keeps thrusting up into Daryl's hole while the Omega pushes down as hard as he can. Their rhythm was off, and Rick kept sliding out, but they managed to make it all the way to the end. Daryl cums first with two orgasms, a normal one and an anal one, shaking him to his core; cum and slick shooting out in waves. Rick holds him while he shudders, not moving, not adding to it. When Daryl stops Rick goes to pull out, preparing to finish by jerking off and knotting his hand. The Omega pushes down though, keeping Rick inside him and not letting him go.

"Daryl?" The Omega moves his hips, riding Rick in small, slow thrust. Rick groans and lets him, kissing Daryl and letting their tongues battle in their mouths. Rick doesn't put up a fight until he feels his knot growing. He tries to hold his knot outside Daryl's hole, but the Omega grabs his hands and holds them away.

"I want the full experience. I want you to…. to knot me."

"If I do…."

"There's a chance we'll breed, yeah I know. Are you ok with that?"

"I want you to be my Mate of course I'd want pups with you." Daryl sucks air in between his teeth, no longer moving. He just stares at Rick in shock, and the Alpha's brain finally catches up with his mouth. Rick holds on to Daryl's waist, not wanting him to run from him just yet like Lori did when he said he wanted another pup because Carl asked for a little brother. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, but I do. I want you, you're strong and don't take shit from no one. You're kind and care for the Pack even when we weren't one yet. Seeing how you are with the pups…. If you don't want it, fine, I'm sorry. I'll keep my distance, I'll be a good Alpha and not approach you this way again. If you want to wait, I don't care if I'm old and on my deathbed, I'll wait. But please, don't run from us, don't leave the Pack because of something I said, or did…."

Daryl grabs Rick's face as he starts to hyperventilate and pulls it to his glands, holding him there while he purrs and chuffs. Rick whines and breathes him in, tightening his grip and thrusting shallowly, "Don't leave us. Please. I'm sorry."

"Ain't nothing you have to apologize for." Daryl takes a deep breath and eases himself onto Rick's knot. It swells inside him and he breathes through it, purring and scenting HIS Alpha. When Rick cums it's with a broken moan and a shudder. He holds Daryl to him as he pulses inside his Omega and licks at Daryl's glands in silent promise. They'd Mate as soon as they could, but with Lori alive… they weren't murderers.

"We'll wait until my knot goes down, then tell Carl, then the Pack. I want you as my Mate and I don't want you to feel like we're a secret. If we're together, then we're together and I want everyone to know it."

"Does this mean I can stomp Lori's ass into the ground if she calls me a Knot Clencher again without worrying about being kicked out?" Daryl shifts and groans as more cum spills into him.

Rick growls and nibbles at the Omega's gland. "She does it again and you can rip her throat out with your teeth and none of us would try to stop you."

"Like you could stop me even if you did want to." Daryl growls with a yank at Rick's hair. He gasps when Rick bucks up and hits his prostate, spilling into him again. "Jesus does it ever stop?"

Rick smirks and thrust up again causing Daryl to growl playfully. They wait until the knot goes down, almost two hours, then Daryl cleans up and they go find Carl.

The pup was cleaning dishes when they found him and they didn't even have to tell him. Carl's head shoots up and he smiles wide. He runs over to them and throws his arms around Daryl's waist with loud purrs and whimpers. The Omega looks at the young Alpha in surprise, then to his dad. Rick just purrs as well while the Pack gathers around to see what the fuss was about. When they smell Rick and Daryl everyone gives their congratulations and scent them, everyone except Lori. The Beta was pissed, everyone could tell, but she refused to come near any of them.

…

It was almost two months later when the Walker herds took over the sporting center. Everyone had gotten their supplies together a few days before when T-Dog first saw them closing in, so when they showed up everything was packed in the vans and they were miles away by then. Everyone was gathered around the fire pit with the heaters going, Hershel was giving Lori a checkup. The Beta was at five months and just starting to show. Rick had just gotten off his watch when Daryl approached the Alpha.

"Hey, we gotta talk." The Theta pulls the Prime away from the others.

"What's wrong?"

"It's been two months since my last heat." The Omega tucks his hands under armpits, "I'm always regular. Have been since I presented. Haven't missed a heat, ever."

"Daryl….?"

Rick was handed a plastic stick, but he didn't need to look at it to know what it was. He kisses Daryl with a purr building in his throat. Daryl groans and kisses back gently. When they pull apart and rest their foreheads together, their pleased purrs fill the quiet area. Everyone looks to them and wait for the news. Daryl smiles at his Alpha.

"I'm pregnant."


	4. Glenn

Out of everyone in the Pack, Carl seemed the happiest about Daryl's announcement. The little pup got up and hugged the Theta, nudging his way between Daryl and Rick and smelling the Omega's stomach with little whines of excitement, Sophia right behind him. The other adults gave their congratulations as well, but the two men could see the looks and were thinking the same thing; they need a place that was theirs. They couldn't keep house jumping up until Daryl and Lori gave birth, two screaming babies would draw herds upon them in no time. Lori wasn't the only one upset about this development though.

"How could you be so selfish?" Beth asks. The group looks at her and Daryl swallows. He knew that not everyone would approve, but to hear the timid Omega voice it…. it was different. More.

"Beth-" Maggie started, but stopped when Daryl shakes his head. Beth just went back to her tent with a shake of her own head and the good mood dissipated. Daryl rubs his hand against Rick's neck, scents both Carl and Sophia, then grabbed his crossbow and went to find them some food.

Everyone got back to work except Lori who stood in the middle of the camp and turned her body to face Rick no matter where he went. After about twenty minutes the whole camp except the hunter was staring at her, and when Carl stop paying attention to what Rick was showing him about fixing a hole in one of the tents, the Prime sighs and turns to the Beta.

Lori was pissed, really pissed not the 'I'm going to look pissed until you give in' pissed, but silent tears in the corner of her eyes and blotchy cheeks pissed. Rick couldn't find it in himself to be angry with her, only tired.

"What Lori?"

"You cheated on me?" She whispered through clenched teeth. Everyone seemed to be as stumped as Rick was when that came out of her mouth. Was this bitch for real? Lori didn't seem to care about the looks she was getting, "You knocked up that stupid Omegan whore; some Knot Clencher when you already have me, and our son and a baby already on the way? Are your instincts so fucked up you have to stick it in every hole that moves?!"

A loud snarl cuts into the silence and Daryl walks out of the trees with a buck dragging behind him. "Herd. Get packed up, NOW!"

Everyone moves, even Lori. Daryl, Glenn and Rick tie the deer to the roof of one van and pull Daryl's bike out to make more room. The Omega swings up onto the bike and the engine rumbles to life once everyone was in the vans. Rick gives Daryl a quick kiss before getting in and driving away, the Theta moving to the front as the Walkers come into the camp. They drive until nightfall and pull up in front of a couple of stores; parking the vans in the back. They sweep the area and settle down in a comic book store, where Carl gathers as many as he can in his arms and takes them to Sophia's and Carol's tent to introduce them to some of his favorites. Rick can see Maggie and Glenn sharing some Batman ones in the corner by their tent. They had stuck heavily of each other since yesterday morning, and if the bruising on Glenn's neck was any indication, they'd be Mated very soon.

Daryl was outside gutting the deer away from the Pack with Hershel while T-Dog stood guard. Beth had taken some graphic novels and were reading them while setting up the food with Lori. The whole camp was avoiding them right now, since Beth was the only one willing to work with the Beta. When the meat was cut up and the fur was being washed, Daryl brought over the venison to be cooked. He refused to acknowledge Lori even when she would call out to him, simply because she refused to say his name.

"Omega! Come back here when I'm trying to talk to you." Daryl flipped her the bird and went to talk to Rick who was growling under his breath and focusing on Lori with maroon eyes.

"Calm your ass down before you send the whole camp into a frenzy. Do you really think Carl needs to see, or smell, you like this right now? Freshly presented Alpha who's already got something against her?" Daryl snaps at Rick quietly.

"She needs to know she can't do shit like that. Not to our Pack; not to you."

"Better watch your mouth Grimes." Daryl growls with black eyes, "Just cause I'm carrying your cub don't mean I'm going belly up for you any time you say so. Ain't yer Breeder; I can handle shit on my own."

"That's not what I said, and you know it." Rick snarls at the Omega with a hard look.

"Yeah I know." Daryl sighs, running a hand through his hair, "I ain't used to this…. Having people to rely on that have my back and shit. Only one who's ever done that shit was Merle and more often than not he was livin' his own life. It's…."

"Scary?" Daryl growls but gives a little jerk of his head that was supposed to be a nod. Rick purrs and rubs the back of Daryl's neck, scenting him. "Ya got all us in yer corner. Tag one of us if you need it, ok?"

"Should have known you liked that fake wrestling crap." Daryl laughs.

"Shane tried for years to get me to watch it with him. Don't really know too much about it." Rick shrugs.

"Do you miss him?" Daryl asks.

"I miss who he was when we were growing up, before his Alpha hormones and his parent's Traditional attitude took over and made him an ass." Rick sighs, "He was better back then, he acted like he was my brother."

"Come on," Daryl points to the Pack that was gathering for dinner, "let's grab some food." Rick made sure everyone had gotten something to eat before he started to grab some, and in the small amount of time it took for him to turn around a fight had broken out.

Maggie and Glenn help Hershel up and move towards Rick as the Prime stands up and takes a headcount. T-Dog's chair scraps across the floor as he backed away and Sophia screams. Carol pulls the pups and Beth into the Omega tent and guards the door, growling at the two wolves every time they came too close. One was bigger than a normal wolf; dark brown with short, dirty fur and was almost twice the size of the other one in muscle alone. From the looks and smell of it, there was no doubt in Rick's mind it was Daryl. His eyes were still blue but narrowed as the wolves circle each other, teeth flashing, and hackles raised. The other one was the size of a golden retriever; light brown, almost blonde, with long tangled fur and white socks on its paws. It had brown eyes that were getting blacker with every second of the fight and a swell to its stomach. Lori.

The Beta lunges at Daryl and he's quick to knock her back, but he doesn't bite her, doesn't attack. His tail is low but not tucked, meaning he was on defense. When Maggie goes to break up the fight, Rick pulls her back.

"What-?"

"We have to let them work this out." He tells her, "Lori challenged Daryl, right? They have to work out their ranks amongst themselves."

"Daryl attacked first." Glenn says, swallowing when Rick's eyes snapped to him, "Carl was showing him a comic and Lori came by and dropped something in his lap. Then she said something to him and he started shifting. When she swiped at his stomach with a clothes hanger he lunged. I'm sorry, it happen really fast, I couldn't stop it…."

"That's not on you." Rick reassures the Alpha, "The clothes hanger…. Lori's telling him to abort the baby. I bet she still has the pills too and that's what she dropped in his lap."

Rick stands up and walks towards the two wolves. Daryl had Lori pinned on her side with his teeth at the back of her neck. The Beta was trying to kick him, dig her claws into his stomach, but he made sure to keep out of her reach while not putting pressure on her stomach either. Rick rumbles so loudly it shakes the walls, with has everyone on their knees whining. Daryl lets her go and backs away, tail lowered but not quite tucked. When he sees that Rick's not after him, he shifts back. "Rick I-"

"Don't need to explain yourself." The Alpha cuts him off, still glaring at Lori. He throws the morning after pills down in front of her from where he had picked them up off the ground. They had been under one of the chairs next to Daryl's bow where the Pack had been eating. Lori shifts back and gets in Rick's face.

"He's not your Mate!" She screams, "I AM! I have your bite on MY shoulder…. even if Shane's covers it, yours is still there! I will not let some stupid, redneck, trashy, Omegan Breeder SLUT come between us when I'm already carrying your child insi- AUGH"

Rick had Lori pinned to a wall by her throat the second it came out of her mouth. The Alpha's eyes were red, bright red, and his fangs were bared in her face. He held her above the ground and watched her gasp for breath.

"RICK! STOP!" Daryl was beside him pulling the Beta from his grasp before the Alpha could send the Beta unconscious. When the Beta was no longer there Rick sent a fist through the wall, hitting through the brick on the other side and causing a huge crack to appear going down the length of the wall and up onto the ceiling. Someone gasps and another whimpers. Rick faced to two that had been fighting and find Lori's eyes.

"I want her gone." Rick growls, "Tonight or first thing in the morning. She's no longer welcomed in our territory."

"The Omega's not worthy of carrying your child." Lori coughs. T-Dog comes by and grabs her, moving her into her tent with a plate of food and a bottle of water before Rick could lunge. He stands guard to make sure no one comes near. Glenn and Maggie start packing a bag for her to take with her and everyone else starts winding down for the night. Daryl drags Rick away to the bathroom, locking them in. He drags Rick's nose to his glands and the Alpha pushes him against the wall, breathing in. As the Alpha calms down, Daryl just stands there, encouraging him with purrs and chuffs.

"What do you need?" The Omega asks.

"You." Rick breathes. "Just you."

Daryl nods and reaches for Rick's belt, but the Alpha pulls away and drops to the ground. "No. Not that, not now. I'm too wound up, I'll hurt you. I'm not going to mate with you while I'm angry, it's just not going to happen."

"Ok." Daryl drops into Rick's lap and hushes the Alpha when he rumbles in warning. "First of all, you're not going to hurt me. I'll kick your ass, pregnant or not, if you try. But we have to talk about this. Lori has done enough crazy shit since this whole thing started, why now has it gone too far? She's pregnant too Rick and unlike me she won't make it on her own."

"She-" Rick cut himself off and shook his head. He wouldn't say it; he wouldn't let his stupid Alpha instincts scare Daryl away.

"No. You're not doing that shit." Daryl growls, forcing Rick's head up to look at him, "You keeping shit like this from me, when it concerns OUR Pack, is a very fast way to end this Rick. You said you want me as your Mate?" Rick nods, "Then talk to me."

"She threatened you, she threatened our cub, our Pack…. She can't stay here anymore. We'll find her a place to stay and if the baby survives, then good for her, but I…. I can't…."

"Ok. It's ok. We'll figure something out. And now that that's over, come here." He pulls Rick's head forward and rest it against his stomach; his softened, rounded stomach. The kind you'd see in the second trimester.

"Daryl what…?"

"Omega's have a shorter pregnancy cycle; it's like a wolf's, four to six months, depending on how many are in there and whether it was outside heat or not. I'm in the 'second trimester' period, so if you listen closely…" Rick tries to listen, past Daryl's steady heartbeat to hear whatever it was the Omega wanted him to. When he heard it he almost wept in joy. Their cub's heartbeat was slower than Daryl's and gentler but still just as magical. Rick sat there with Daryl in his lap, purring and listening to their child until his scent screamed happiness.

"Soon we'll be able to feel them kick, ya know?" Rick whines in agreement and Daryl laughs, "I kind of want Carl to be the first to feel it. I think he'd like that."

"He'd love it." Rick kisses his Omega and moans when Daryl returns it.

"Sure you can't fuck me?" Daryl nips at Rick's chin, "Cause I kind of want you too."

"How are you horny right now? After what happened?" Rick laughs.

"You're not the only one that finds the growling attractive." Daryl laughs when Rick lets out a playful growl and turns them over.

"Bigger turn on? You wolfed out." Daryl flashes Rick his fangs and the Alpha licks them causing the Omega to shudder.

"Wonder what yours looks like."

"I'm not sure." Rick hums, "Never gone full wolf. Too much of a Peace Keeper I guess."

"Oh, you're a peace-keeper sure, but you're still our Prime. Did you know some people can wolf out when they climax?" Daryl shoots him a mischievous smirk.

"I dare you to try." They kiss again, and Rick pulls off Daryl's pants. He shifts his down low enough and thrust home, causing them to moan into the kiss. Daryl wraps his legs around Rick's waist and lets himself enjoy the feel of his Alpha inside him. Worthy? Maybe not. But he was chosen by Rick over the Beta that had already given him an Alpha pup, so fuck the bitch and her idea of worthy.

….

Glenn and Maggie take Lori away in the morning and drive to King County; far away from their Pack and a place that Lori had requested. She wanted to be home when she gave birth to her child, somewhere familiar. They leave her there with a gun and bags of food and what not, clearing the houses nearby and piling most of it in the house with Lori.

"It's not like you're going to go out there and get shit for yourself." Maggie tells her when she asks why they were doing it. "Might as well give you a chance."

The two Alphas were both angry and irritated when they left, and the combining scent of them on the way back was suffocating. Maggie was almost in tears and had to roll down the window to breathe. Glenn sighs heavily beside her and when she looks over at him she sees the red eyes. The combined smell of their Alpha pheromones had sent Glenn into rut. She pulls into the driveway of one of the houses and they get out. Clearing it, she pulls him into a bedroom and locks the door, pushing him against it and kissing him. He rumbles and flips them, shoving his tongue past her lips to play with her's. This was something she loved, when Glenn let himself go and acted like an Alpha. They had had sex the first time earlier that week, even though he had pulled out before knotting her. This time, she'd beg him if she had to; she wanted Glenn so much.

"I love you." He whispers against her lips with a purr.

"God, I love you too." They get undressed as they walk to the bed, Maggie lays out in the middle and Glenn gets on top of her, pulling lube out of his jeans. Maggie laughs, "Were you really carrying that in your pocket?"

"I was hopeful." Glenn smiles back. "You or me?"

"Me." He takes the lube and preps her, making sure he stimulates her knot as well.

Female Alphas didn't have penises, but they did have a knot. Their clits were bigger than a Beta's or Omega's and would swell up like knot. They had an opening in their clits that would spill the semen from the female into whatever or whoever they knotted, just like males except they didn't have the reach males did. Most female Alphas, when breeding, would use special dildo that still allowed them to knot but would help their semen reach the opening to the uterus.

Once Maggie was stretched and wet Glenn guided himself in with a deep breath. He waited until Maggie thrust against him and then started to move. He made sure to be gentle and give attention to other parts of her body, like her neck and hips. She had told him the first time they had messed around that she didn't like it when her boobs were messed with during sex. She did like it when he kissed her neck or nibbled at it though, so he pays special attention to that. When he pulled back to kiss her, Maggie's red eyes met his. They were both in rut now. It took five minutes before Glenn's knot popped and he eases it in with a gentle grind. When it fully locks them together, and Glenn starts coming, he registers a stinging sensation from his neck. Reaching up to feel it, his fingers rub against the indented, slightly bleeding, teeth marks.

"Maggie…?" Glenn whispers, suddenly afraid, "Did you…? Please, please tell me it was you. Please tell this is your Mating Bite….and not…. please…."

"Glenn calm down." Maggie flips them and covers him with her body, trying to give him some comfort. She should have told him she was going to do it. She should have, because then he wouldn't be freaking out, thinking he was going to turn with his knot stuck in her. "It's mine; YOU'RE mine now. It's my Bite."

"Shit." Glenn breathes easier, "So I guess it was that good."

Maggie hits him with a pillow while he laughs.

…...

The two are gone for almost a week. When they pull back up in front of the store Rick and Daryl are out hunting with Sophia and Carl. Glenn tries to hide it, but Hershel gives him a raised brow and with a goofy grin he pulls back his shirt collar, showing off his Mating Bite. Maggie was the one walking with a limp and they explained that Glenn had gone into rut on their way back, so they hid in a nearby house for a few days. They're bringing in the supplies they had gotten from the house when the four Pack mates come back. Carl and Sophia both have squirrels and Daryl's carrying a raccoon. Rick was holding a few rabbits and a bag with the weapons inside.

"We were wondering what happened to you." Rick says when he gives them a hug. He taps the side of his nose and grins, "Congrats."

"Lori asked us to take her back to King County; said she wanted to be home. We checked the house you said that guy and his pup were staying in, but they were gone." Glenn pats Rick on the back, more comfortable than Rick could remember him being. He assumed it was because he felt at peace now with Maggie's claim on him, the way an Omega might feel. "I'm planning on giving Maggie the Bite too, but she wants us to find a safe place first. If we're Mated completely our chance of her getting pregnant goes up, and with yours and Daryl's on the way, it just made more sense to wait."

Rick knew that most people would have been mad at the way it came out Before, but now it just made sense, was a logical thing to do. Glenn lowered his voice. "There's another herd heading this way, so we're going to need to move soon. We already told the others, but if we're leaving we need to head in that direction; towards King County. There was barely any Walkers the whole week. The two from before will be closing in soon and if they meet up with this one…"

"We'll be surrounded." Rick nods. "We need stability and something with strong walls if we're going to ride that out and we ain't got anything like that around here but the schools and West Georgia Correctional Facility. The schools have land and thick walls like the prison but no fences. I say we head there if we can, but we still need to stop and clear houses. Get as much supplies as we can together before winter truly sets in."


	5. Morgan

Merle leads the two women to the building that him and his Pack were staying in. Pack…. It was weird having one, especially without his baby brother. Daryl had believed in an afterlife, even when Merle didn't, but the Beta couldn't help but pray he'd meet his brother there. At least he was until Andrea showed up.

Believing in a place after death was something he'd pick up from their Mama. Norman was of Cherokee descent and part of the Ahnikawi: Clan of Deer. They were hunters and trackers, something that drew William 'Bill' Dixon to him. Norman had become a Pagan and joined the Breeders society because of a low income and rebellious teenage years; something he had told Merle he sometimes regretted deeply.

"I'll never regret my pups, little Waya." He told him once, while watching Daryl suckle from him after his birth, "Never you two. And while your father is cruel for a white man by any standard, he has given me you and your brother. And for that I'm forever grateful."

"Merle?" A hand on his shoulder makes him jump and he realizes he had been staring into space, just thinking. Everyone was in the room and staring at him. He sits down on his bed, dropping his prosthetic on Duane's, who jumps up to grab his equipment and goes on to tinker with it, a casual "Thanks Merle" thrown over his shoulder. He tucks his stump under a pillow when the two women keep glancing at it. He couldn't take his eyes off Andrea; she was one of the Quarry people, one that went with Rick to the CDC…. If she's here, then maybe….

"What the hell are you looking at Dixon?" Andrea snarls at him.

"How many made it?"

"What?"

"How many got away from the CDC?" When her eyes widen, he keeps going. He keeps his voice low, like talking about it would somehow break the spell and the female Beta would disappear. "I went back to the Quarry and ya'll were all gone. Saw a lot of graves; I know why ya left. Followed the map Rick left for Morgan to the CDC and it was gone too. Couldn't smell if ya'll got away or not. Last couple months I've been think all you were dead and then you show up and…."

The woman seems to understand to some degree. "He made it out."

Merle's body drops into the cushion and he cries silent tears with loud heaves of breaths that made it sound like he was laughing. Duane looks up and whines in question.

"Nothing pup. Old Merle just got some good news. My brother's alive." Merle chuckles and wipes his eyes, "Can't kill that little Awi even if ya tried."

Duane's eyes light up, "Awi? That means elk. Daryl's alive?"

"Yeah." Merle breathes, "He's alive."

Morgan purrs a little and bumps shoulders with Merle while handing him an open bottle of water. "It's getting dark. You're sure you can vouch for them?"

"I vouch for the blonde; don't know the other one."

"I vouch for her." Andrea says, frowning.

"There ya go Alpha. Now quit your whining and eat something." Merle grabs a jar of peanut butter and eats it with his fingers. Morgan's hands squeeze the back of the Beta's neck, his small scruff, and turns black eyes on him with a growl. Duane whimpers but continues to eat. Andrea and Michonne watch on full alert but Merle just looks up and says, "They touch him, and I'll put a bullet in both of them. Don't worry Alpha."

Morgan lets him go with a huff and checks on his pup. Merle raises a brow at Andrea while she gasps like a fish. She looks from the Alpha to Merle, "You didn't fight him; didn't even try. You never let Shane or Rick do that."

"I chose to follow Morgan." Merle huffs, "Walsh; I'd rather have bared my neck to my old man. Would been the same thing as doing it, but at least I respected my Pa at one point in my life. Didn't know Rick that well and the first thing he does when we meet is hit me and handcuff me to the roof. Grant it I was high and not in the best of places-"

"When were you ever not on drugs Dixon?" Andrea scowls. Morgan and Duane both growl at the woman but Merle just watched his feet.

"Every day but two for the last two years."

"What?"

Morgan sat beside the Beta and stare at the woman, "Everyone mourns differently for their pup on the anniversary of their death."

The two women stare at Merle, one in understanding and the other in shock. "What do you mean Merle had a kid?!"

The man reaches into his pocket and pulls out his wallet, handing her a face down photo, before getting up and moving to Duane who helps him wrap his stump again. Andrea and Michonne lean over the photo. It was a younger Merle, smiling and with longer hair, with a little boy at his side holding a buck's head up, both bare chested. Daryl was kneeling next to them with a white beater on, forever pulling an arrow out of the chest, and laughing up at the boy. The boy was biracial, black and maybe…... Hispanic…. Asian? The three of them looked so happy, hunting together.

"Lemuel." Merle says; the two women look over at him. "He was about fourteen when he died of pneumonia, it's been about four years since then. My uncle was with him, while Daryl was on tour but I was serving time."

"Why?" Michonne asks. She cuts off whatever Andrea was going to say with a low rumble.

"Daryl was threatened and needed my help." Andrea looks up, shocked. "Some Alpha got it in his head that just because he gave money to our Pa, he had a right to rape my brother and call him his Breeder. I beat the fucker into a coma and got about six years for assault. One before Lemmy died and all the way up to the End. Daryl got me from the work release I was doing when the dead started walking and we were traveling until the Quarry."

"You said Daryl was on tour." The female Alpha says, "What kind of tour?"

Merle pulls out the dog tags, both his and Daryl's on the same chain now and hands it over. Andrea stares at the tags and the Beta like she was just now seeing him clearly for the first time.

They don't really talk again until the next morning. Morgan cooks some food and they head out, gathering more food and clearing Walkers off the traps. They keep to the same schedule for months, getting to know Andrea and Michonne better. The two women were close, but they kept to themselves when it came to the older men. Duane was given a chocolate bar any time they found them on runs, which led to Michonne talking about her own pup.

Michonne was an art collector with her Beta boyfriend, Mike, and his best friend, Terry, from Florida. They had joined a camp in front of a sports department store when they came to Georgia, but while Michonne adapted and learned to fight and wield the samurai sword on her back, her two companions stayed in camp taking care of her cub, a three-year-old named Andre. She had been on a run when the camp was taken and when she came back her son was eaten, and Mike and Terry were high as kites and bit. She cut their arms off, pulled out their teeth, and destroyed their jaws and now uses them to hide her scent from other Walkers.

Her and Andrea stay together, even when they sleep. Duane had moved to sleeping with his dad or Merle, whoever wasn't on watch, and let the two women take his bed. They sleep with Andrea against the wall, Michonne shielding her from any threats, the way an Alpha would with their Mate. Merle and Morgan make jokes and share meaningful glances the weeks leading up to their courting, no neither are surprised when the first gift shows up in their camp. It does surprise them that the gift is a painting Andrea found in one of the houses and brings home with them, presenting it to the female Alpha. The three males go upstairs while Michonne stares at the painting.

"I know you had one like it in your apartment. Do you like it?"

"Are you asking me to court you?" Michonne asks.

"If I am?" Andrea asks, "Will you not do it cause I'm a Beta?"

The Alpha laughs, "With other Alphas it's a fight all the time; Omegas can be clingy to the point of annoying. You've been mine since I found you." Michonne grabs the back of Andrea's neck and pulls her into a kiss.

They court for two more weeks before Mating during Michonne's rut. They stay in a separate room with Merle bring them food and water. The Beta was better suited for the job, as Andrea would see Duane as a competitor for Michonne, and Michonne would see Morgan as another Alpha making moves on her Mate the second he walked through the door. She still growled at the door anytime she smells one of them outside, even if they were just passing through. When the rut was finally over, they came out with matching Mating Bites on the left shoulders.

They were on a run, all five of them, when it happened. The first snowfall. Duane had been keeping track of the days in his school agenda, and as far as he could tell the first Walker appeared in California back in April; the same month Rick had been shot. They were now on month 11, mid-February give or take a few days, since the start of the end of the world. The Omega wrote a note in his agenda on the date labeling it as the first snowfall with the year.

He had gone through the whole thing and marked dates he found important. The first Walker appearance; his mother's date of death; Michonne and Andrea's Mating anniversary; his and his dad's, Michonne's, Andrea's (and Amy's), and Merle's and Daryl's birthdays. He even had Lemmy's death day and birthday written down with a note that Merle wasn't supposed to be alone those days; Duane got a hug and an extra candy bar for it.

Other days had little notes on what they did that day, including when they found Rick, and Andrea and Michonne. It had been nine months since Merle had seen his brother and not a day went by that he didn't miss him.

They were in a car when it started snowing and they pulled over quickly when they saw that it was coming in heavy. Morgan, Duane and Michonne all looked up suddenly, focused. Merle was driving so he couldn't see or hear what they could, but he followed Morgan's instructions without question, pulling up to a house that had lights in one of the upper windows. They piled out of the car and were quick to dart inside to get out of the cold, and then the Betas could hear what the others had. A woman screaming and crying. Morgan and Duane sprint upstairs to help while the other three clear the house. When they get upstairs the first thing they see is the woman's belly. It was huge, and from the wet and bloody sheets, the baby was ready to come out. Then they see her face.

"Lori?!" Andrea runs to the woman's side, Michonne quick behind her.

"Andrea?" Lori smiles, "Never thought I'd see you again."

"Where are the others?" The blonde Beta asks, "Why isn't Shane or Rick or someone with you?"

"Rick killed Shane, back at the farm." Lori sobs, "Said he went after Carl. The others kicked me out of the Pack, I've been on my own for months."

"Rick wouldn't have just left a pregnant woman by herself." Morgan rumbles from where he was getting ready to help her with the birth. "What did you do?"

"Nothing." Lori frowns.

"How many made it off the farm?" Andrea asks.

"Everyone except Patricia, Jimmy, and Shane."

"Daryl got out?" Merle came into view, "He's alive?"

"Oh great." Lori snares, "Another Dixon here to ruin everything."

Morgan and Michonne both growl at her and even Andrea glares. "Leave him alone. Why are you alone?"

"Rick." Lori glares at Merle, "He fucked the Omega slut and knocked him up. When I told…. IT to abort the baby because Rick is MY husband, he refused and attacked me. We fought, and Rick banished me, choosing that stupid Knot Clencher over his Mate."

Morgan and Michonne jump up to catch Merle when he lunged. He snarls and fights but makes sure neither cut themselves on the blade on his prosthetic. Andrea pushes him away from the bed and takes the knife off before he shifts. Merle's wolf was big and bulky with sandy blonde fur with a chestnut undertone. Michonne turned into a black one, slim and fit and pulls him by his scruff away from the bed. His missing leg helps her move him and when Duane shifts into a smaller dark brown and rust red wolf, Merle focuses on him. He pulls the small Omega pup into his chest and locks his paws over him, growling at Lori between grooming the boy's fur.

Michonne stays with Andrea and Morgan while they try to help the Beta give birth, but she makes sure Lori knows just how much she's rather throw her in a herd.

"Something's wrong." Morgan says, "The heads not crowning, the feet are. I can't push the baby up to turn him. We'll have to do a c-section."

"There's a scar still there from Carl's birth. Should be easy enough to find." Lori whimpers. Morgan finds it and cuts the skin quickly. If the baby dies in the canal and he can't get it out….

He finds the uterus and cuts it open, pulling the baby out and makes sure it was breathing. A loud wail fills the room and Merle and Duane both look up. Lori starts crying again.

"You have to take it." She heaves. "Take the baby and go. Please, I'm begging you."

"Lori it's fine, you didn't lose to much blood." Morgan says cleaning the baby. "I can stitch you up and you'll be fine."

"I can't raise that baby. Take it or leave it for a Walker but I can't take that baby." Lori pushes it away when Morgan tries to hand it to her. "I CAN'T!"

"I have a son, one that's heats are too drastic and un-chartable." Morgan shakes his head, "I can't raise another right now. Not like this."

"Michonne and I are Mated." Andrea says, "I refuse to raise a baby without her."

"It's too soon after Andre." Michonne chokes, "I can't…. I…"

"I'll do it." Merle breathes. He had shifted and walked over, taking the baby from Morgan. He adjusted his arms to brace the baby's head and tuck it close to his chest. Soft rumbles vibrate against the baby's body and it calms down, letting out small chirps. Not a Beta then. "I'll take care of the cub."

"It's a boy." Morgan tells him. Merle whines a little and rubs his stubbled chin against the fair hair on the baby's head. The others in his Pack understand why; Lemmy had a little brother now.

"Not Dixon." Lori snarls through her sobs, "I don't want redneck trash raising my child."

"You're a fucking hypocrite." Andrea snaps, "Merle's raising the baby unless you can tell us why you won't." They knew none of their Pack would take the baby from Merle, but he still pulled it closer to him.

"There were two."

Silence.

Lori started sobbing, "Twins. They tried to come out at the same time, that's why one was stuck. It's gone." She taps the side of her head. Parents could feel their children in the womb, even though it was harder for Betas, "It got caught in the umbilical cord and suffocated."

"Lori…" Andrea whispers in horror.

The Beta smiles a tired, watery grin and lays back, "That was hours ago."

Merle had Duane and the newborn out of the room and in another with the door closed before the first horror and pain filled screams shook the house. Lori was giving birth to a Walker baby, and it was eating its way out. The next scream is cut short with the sound of a silenced gunshot, then another. Duane was crying, wide eyes staring at the door. Merle checked the baby in his hands, praying this one wasn't dead and just didn't have the teeth or nails to really hurt him. Closed eyes and a thumb in his mouth was what he saw looking at the baby. He smells him and doesn't smell death; his new little boy was ok.

Merle purrs to both of them and looks for a distraction. He nudges Duane and points at his agenda. "Why don't we record our newest Pack member's birth, yeah?"

The Omega nods and turns to the right page. He finds the last one he highlighted and takes out the pen/highlighter combo. 'Lori Grimes dies in childbirth- one baby survives and adopted by Merle Dixon.' He checks his watch and writes down the time, then turns to Merle. "What are we going to call him?"

"I'm not sure yet."

Morgan comes in with a blanket to wrap the baby in, so it doesn't get cold, then they get in the car and head back to the town. They'd come back and bury Lori and the other baby, a girl, tomorrow. They get home and get something to eat, Morgan and Michonne making a run for baby food. Merle was feeding the baby while everyone settled in when Duane came over and sat next to him with a book.

"Will you read us a story?" Merle nods and shifts the baby, seeing it staring at Duane and making grabbing hands at him, cooing lightly.

"What's going on?" Michonne asks with a smirk.

"Merle's going to read us a story." Duane says again. The baby makes another grabbing motion and smiles at the Omega.

"Read us what?" Merle watches the baby turn his attention to Michonne and make grabbing hands at her too, giggling.

"It's Eragon; a book about dragon riders and magic and stuff."

"Why is he going to read us a story?" Now the baby was focused on Andrea.

"Because I asked him to read us one." And~~ back to Duane. Merle starts laughing. Everyone looks at him, even the baby who was pouting at not getting the attention he wanted.

"Reedus." The baby laughs, and Merle lets him chew on his finger. "That's his name, Reedus. We can call him little Reed."

Everyone smiles, and Duane writes it down. Morgan hums, "Why that?"

"My Mama was Cherokee and a chosen Pegan." Merle explained. "He always called me and Daryl by our other names; one's he said connected our souls to the earth. Waya was my name. Waya-nvyu, the wolf of stone. The little wolf, always silently watching; fierce and frightening to be around until you earn his trust, then so grounded in his loyalty and protectiveness it was like trying to move a mountain with your bare hands. Daryl was his Awiequa; little elk. A protector and warrior, alert, focused, noble, strong and graceful. He walked with purpose and intent, even if he didn't look like it. Always watching out for the little guy and wary of everyone who wasn't HIS."

He plays with Reedus's feet and gets a giggle out of him. "Reeds are like small bamboo that grow in the mush on riverbanks and in swamps. They offer protection to small animals and fish, but their roots are firm in the ground and hard to pull up. That's how I want him to be; generous, grounded and protective. Normally you wait to see how a child grows, let them get their own personality before giving them their second name but with how our lives are now…."

"What's his second name then?" Duane asks.

"Abesso; snake. A symbol of rebirth, transformation and healing."

…..

It was days later when everything fell apart. Michonne and Andrea had gone looking for food and more formula when they had come across a camp. Men, all Alphas, were talking about a town, Woodbury, and making plans to return. Then another group, Woodbury men, said they had a message from the Governor and killed them all. They came straight back and told the others.

"We need to get away from here." Morgan says, "If they come any further than they are now…"

"No." Merle shook his head. He was feeding Reedus again while the cub scented him. The little boy loved Merle and would cry or chirp until he was in his arms again. He dealt with Duane and Morgan better than the women, but they all assumed it was cause Merle's scent was stronger with them. "We need a way to know what they're going to do and where they're going to be. We can't have them finding out about this place or anything. We need to keep an eye on them, but not where they can find us and kill us."

"No!" Morgan snarls with black eyes, "You're not going to them!"

"I could be our fly on the wall." Merle snaps back, "I go in as a spy, work my way up-"

"Think about us!" Morgan roars, "We're your Pack now! Duane looks up to you and you just got a baby! You can't leave!"

"I am thinking about you!" Merle screams. He hands Reedus to Duane and a gentle nudge has him running over to Michonne and Andrea, who are quick to take them from the room, already smelling what might happen. The Beta turns back to the Alpha.

"I'm thinking of those boys and how best to protect them!" Merle snarls, "I'm thinking how we can keep Michonne and Andrea away from a Delta Pack because you know what they do to women, even Alpha women, and the only people we've seen from these guys are other Alphas. I'm thinking of another way this could go, if we just run and run until they catch us, or we get stuck in a herd cause that's all that's south of here. I'm thinking that you are OUR PRIME, so it can't be you…. Not with Duane…."

Morgan was shaking in rage, his eyes turning red. He turns around so his back was to Merle and the Beta gets close, his shoulder touching Morgan's. "I've done this before overseas. In and out, if I play by their rules. Let me do this for our Pack; for our boys."

Morgan turns around and pushes Merle against the wall, kissing him deeply. When Merle gets over his shock and kisses back a little bit, the Alpha pulls away and sinks his teeth in Merle's neck. "SHIT!"

The Beta holds on tight while the Alpha marks him, and with a growl he bites down on Morgan's neck too. The Alpha growls and rubs against Merle, grinding together until they both cum and the Alpha's knot swells until its painful. Merle shoves his hand inside Morgan's pants and squeezes. Their teeth stay locked in each other's glands until the Alpha's knot goes down, then they separate without looking at one another.

"You're part of THIS Pack; you're MY Mate now. Don't forget it while you're there." Morgan growls.

"I'll take one of the spare cars, head to the creek to wash away as much of ya'll scent as possible." Morgan growls and Merle throws a pillow at him. The Alpha looks at his new Mate. Merle had filled into a healthy weight now that he had food and wasn't on drugs. He'd ditched the torn button up and vest combo from when Morgan had met him and was now wearing a black thermal shirt with a leather jacket and a clean pair of jeans; well, as clean as you could get these days. He looked healthy and in his prime, even though he was pushing his late 40s.

"They smell that cub or Duane on me and it's going to be a hell of a time keeping them away. Rule one of infantry; never give your bonds away. I'll clean as much of it off and find some Walkers to hide more of it."

"Will you tell them goodbye?" Morgan growls.

"Do you think I could leave if I did?" A no then. The Alpha hangs his head and nods. Merle walks over to him and kisses his temple. "I'll be alright, Alpha. I'll come back to you and our Pack. Trust me."

The other Pack members comes back in when they hear the car start and drive away. Duane goes straight to his dad and throws his arms around his waist. He starts sobbing when Morgan hugs him, and he catches the sight of the Mating mark. Michonne went over a scent their Prime, showing her sympathy to their lose. Andrea was holding little Reed who was just starting to wake up. When the baby looks around and can't find Merle, he frowns.

Then he whines.

Then chirps.

Then wails. The others felt like doing the same.


	6. Tara

"Chambler! Come on cadet, we got to move NOW!" Tara stops shooting and runs. The academy had become a haven to people trying to get away from the outbreak and the freaks it brought with it. Corpses were coming back to life and eating people and they couldn't contain it. Officer Smith was one of the people in charge and when she told Tara to run, to leave and find her family, the young Alpha couldn't find it in her to fight it.

It had been a month of pure hell since the outbreak and the more people panicked, the faster they died, the faster the army of the undead grew. Tara had seen a lot of people just give up, fall into a fetal position and scream as they were torn apart. At least she could respect the ones that shot themselves in the head; they at least made it easy by NOT coming back. Smith had told her to get in one of the cruisers and turn on the sirens, to try to draw them away from the building. The older Beta had done the same and they had gone in separate directions, pulling the herd away as much as they could.

When Tara had circled back to find the building overrun, and no one she knew in sight, she left. Surely her family would be home; it wasn't like her father was fit for travel. They weren't there though, and it took everything in her to not break down. She would check their other family's homes. Maybe they went to one of their cousin's houses.

It took her months to find another person alive. She had found an old feeder truck, an Amazon semi, and made a home out of it. Collecting food and clothing she tries to make it bearable for the coming winter. The trees had already started to change colors, so it had to be October at the earliest.

"Damn. Already four months." She whispers to herself. She had just found a cool watch on a Walker and was now resetting it. The sun was above her, so it had to be noon by now. She waits a few more minutes to double check then sets it, strapping in on her wrist. The date said Mon 11. The eleventh of October, Monday, 12:05 pm. It was good to have a sense of time again.

She was on a run when she found him. He was sitting in an old sewer drain with some of the pipes and some sticks in the dirt. It was amazing that it was keeping the Walker out. She kills the Walker and removes one of the sticks, sitting down across from the man. He's asleep. How the hell-? Ah. There was a bottle of alcohol next to him, that explains it.

Tara gets some of her food out and eats, watching the sun begin to set. She needed to get back to her truck where she was prepared for the cold. But she would need to get this guy out of here too. She takes her sleeping bag and throws it at him. He lets out a humph when it lands in his lap and he jerks awake, his bottle of Jack Daniel's rolling towards Tara.

"What-? How did you get in here?"

"Well with a front door like that, it took some effort, but it's not exactly Fort Knox." Tara points to the Walker she had killed. "You got a death wish or something I need to know about Mr. Daniel's?" She picks up the empty bottle and waves it before tossing it outside.

"It helps me when it gets quiet." the man says.

"So does a good knot massage, yet your hand ain't in your pants. You need it to not be quiet then get a battery powered MP3 and rub out a good one. Now come on, we're leaving."

"Who said I was going with you?"

"Do you want to be alone anymore, only with yourself to talk to, when you feel like talking? Cause I don't." Tara hums quietly.

The man follows her out carrying his own backpack. They get back to the truck and settle in. Tara turns on a portable heater she had hooked up to a car battery to warm the place up, then she pulls out an iPod and hands an earphone to the man. He smiles and put it in, listening to smooth Jazz. The next song is the Beatles, and the next Katy Perry. When Hannah Montana was followed by Kiss and then Garth Brooks, Tara and the man look at each other and laugh, just because they could.

"Robert Stookey; you can call me Bob."

"Tara Chambler; you can call me your Queen."

They both laugh and trade stories until they fall asleep; the first night in a long time Bob has not drunk until he passed out. He felt good.

….….

"Come on Bob." Tara knifes a Walker and they run for the car. It's been a month since the two Alphas met and now the truck they had been staying in was being overrun. Tara had seen a herd days before, so the car was packed up and ready to go. They just had to get to it. They only had the gun Tara had brought with her from the academy and no ammo so that was useless, not that they wanted to fire a bullet now. They get to the car and drive away, running over Walkers and trying not to get stuck in the middle of them. They make it to the highway and Tara guns the engine, T-boning another car to push it out of the way and get on the clear side of the road.

"SHIT!" Tara looks at Bob who was holding his head and glaring at her.

"That's what a seatbelt is for Bobby." The female Alpha laughs. She swerves around a small group of Walkers and floors it.

Bob hits the window before putting on the seatbelt, "I'm never letting you drive again. I mean it this time."

"You meant it last time too and look who's behind the wheel." Tara grins. She slams on her breaks when two- things, come flying out of the road, swerving so they don't hit them. Coming to a stop she sees two people, alive people, limping from the forest, followed by some Walkers. "Alright Bobby, take the wheel."

"TARA!" The female Alpha was already bolting from the car and driving a blade through one of the Walkers skulls before it could bite the other woman, an Omega.

"Who-?!"

"Hi, I'm Tara, I almost hit you with my car and now I'm saving your life. This way." Tara helps the Omega with the male, a Beta, and gets both of them in the back. Killing another Walker she slides over the hood and stabs another, then gets in the passenger seat and Bob steps on it.

"This is Bob." The female Alpha points at the man driving, "Who are you?"

"Sasha Williams." The Omega says, "This is my brother Tyreese."

"Cool. Well we're going to be here awhile, what did you do; ya know, Before?"

"Firefighter." Sasha says, "Ty played football for the Gators."

"You're a bit a ways from Florida." Bob says.

"What?" Tyreese asks.

"Bob says you guys traveled a long way from Florida on foot."

"Who said we were on foot?"

"The smell for one." Tara says, "Then we noticed each of you are carrying three bags. Then there's the fact that you guys were traveling on foot through the woods. Do you guys have a car?"

"No." Sasha smiles.

"I rest my case." Tara smiles, "Let's go find a place to settle down for the night."

They pick a house that was far enough away from the highway and herds. Bob fixes up Tyreese's knee which had been the cause of the limping. They stay quiet and take turns on watch. In the morning, they try to figure out what they will do next.

"Me and my brother do not have a Pack." Sasha says, "Our mom died when we were young, and we didn't know our dad. We stayed in foster care for a while, but we never fully bonded with anyone there. We're alone."

"Stay with us then." Bob says, "We could be a Pack. We have the numbers for it; we don't have any ties to anything else. Why not?"

"That sounds like the first step to a good plan." Tyreese says. He wipes the sweat from his glands and holds out his hand, Sasha does the same. Tara and Bob take both of their hands and smile at their new Pack.

…

They meet Andrea and Michonne on a run in a meat locker. They were in a store, gathering supplies when Michonne had come in ready to behead Tara, thinking she was a Walker.

"WHOA!" Tara drops to the ground as the blade swings over her head, her Pack coming up behind her with guns ready. They had found a couple in houses and small businesses while house jumping the last week, and Tara had to be grateful they all knew how to use them. The Alpha with the sword was less pleased.

"I need those." She pointed to the aspirin in Tara's hand.

"For what?" Sasha demands.

"My Mate is sick." The Alpha growls, "I need them."

"We'll all go." Michonne growls when Tara suggest it and the younger Alpha is quick to backtrack, "We have a doctor. Bob, he's a doctor and if you take us to your Mate we can help them. Food, medicine. We can help."

Michonne allows them to follow her to the deer meat locker where her and Andrea had taken shelter. When they don't find her in their den, Michonne grabs her sword. With a whine she goes into the next room, ready to put her Mate down if need be. Tara's Pack follows and stays in the doorway until Michonne kneels beside her Mate.

"Andrea." The Alpha pulls the Beta woman's head into her lap. "What are you doing out here?"

"I needed some light." Andrea smiles.

"There's a doctor. He can help."

Bob goes over with that and starts checking the Beta's temperature and breathing. "You have a Pack, but you're not traveling together. Did you two split when she came down sick? Was anyone else sick too?"

"Just me." Andrea breathes, ignoring Michonne's growls at the other Alpha, "We couldn't have the pups getting sick."

"Pups?" Sasha asks.

"Two." Michonne answers while Bob gives Andrea the aspirin and some Nyquil. "One's just under a month old. We couldn't risk it. I left with her to take care of her and our Prime stayed behind to take care of the pups. When she's better we'll go back. I will see if our Prime will allow you to join us if you want."

"Really?" Tyreese asks, "Just like that?"

"As far as he needs to know, you saved Andrea's life." Michonne huffs, "We need the numbers though. And you seem like good enough people."

"Why do you need the numbers?" Tara asks.

"There's another group, a town really, run by a man they call the Governor." Michonne rumbles. "He runs a Delta Pack as his security and they kill other groups to take their supplies. One of ours, a Beta named Merle, went in as a spy and he tells us that they're getting closer to the place we've claimed as ours. We need more people if we are to live."

"You'll need to leave." Bob says. Both Mates growl at him and he huffs, "Not your place. This one. The meat locker isn't the healthiest place for Andrea. If you stay, you'll die here."

"Then let's pack up." Tara and Sasha start grabbing things while Michonne helps Bob take Andrea outside. Tyreese finds a van they can use to move everything and everyone and they pile their stuff inside it. Michonne takes her two Walkers and leads them away from the small town. They walk for most of the day when they see the helicopter go down, black smoke curling around the engine before taking to the air. It crashes into trees and go down in a clearing. The groups sees the smoke and make their way to it, leaving the car on the road. Andrea starts throwing up once they get close enough to smell the burning skin. Michonne ties the Walkers to a tree and gets a gun ready. Her and Tara move to check for survivors when a jeep pulls up. The group take shelter in the bushes.

"Spread out. Save your ammo until you need it." An Alpha rumbles. Michonne and Andrea growl. The others look at them in confusion.

"The Governor." Michonne lets out a rumble of her own. Andrea breathes through her mouth, so she doesn't throw up and alert the new group of their position.

"Got a breather!" The Governor yells, "Help me out Tim!"

Tyreese takes out a Walker with his knife as it gets too close to their group, but it gets the two Walker pets worked up. They were making a lot of noise and soon it would cause them their location. Michonne stands up and cuts their heads off, just as the men started to notice the sound the chains around their necks made. Sasha was drawing her knife when they heard another sound behind them.

"Ah ah ah. None of that now." The freezes. "That's it, turn around. You still owe me a Big Cat Michonne."

"The hell I do." The Alpha breathes out a laugh. They turn around and see a Beta with thinning hair and a knife prosthetic, laying a gun at their feet with a wide grin on his face. Michonne crawls over to him and throws her arms around his neck in a hug. "Merle."

Tara's Pack relaxes; this was their Pack mate, the spy from Woodbury. Merle looks them over, "There's some new faces your hanging around these days."

"They save Andrea's life. She got sick and we had to leave Morgan and the pups so it wouldn't spread." Michonne whispers.

"Are my pups alright?" Merle ask urgently, his eyes on the Governor's men, "Duane and Reedus? Is my Mate ok? Morgan wasn't happy I left to do this."

"The Prime is ok, but still unhappy. Neither of the pups were sick when we left." Andrea says. Tara understood now why this guy was such a big deal. This was their Prime's Mate. Their Luna.

"Andrea still sick?" Merle asks. He gets closer and they part to let him near the Beta. His hands start to shake as he looks her over and he has to swallow a few times before he could speak. "Shit. Pneumonia. I can get you more help but none of you will like it."

"Can we escape later?" Michonne asks. Merle nods. "Do it."

"HEY ALPHA!" Merle bellows, calling to the Governor, "Got some fresh meat!"

Andrea passed out in her Packmate's hands.

….

The Beta comes through a bit while driving, and notices that she can see some of her surroundings. Merle was in the seat next to her, his hand resting on her leg and shaking, badly. She reaches out and squeezes it. He wasn't going to lose her too.

She comes too again in a room with a doctor and her Pack surrounding her. Michonne was by her side and Merle was in front of her. Tara and her group were stationed around the room, all being looked over by the same woman. She comes to Andrea and hooks her up to an IV, taking her temperature too. They needed to play this out the right way.

Michonne took the chance to question the doctor, "Why are we being held here? Why can't we leave?"

"It's dark, and your Pack isn't well enough to travel yet. Stay the night." The doctor replies.

"Where are we?" Michonne growls.

"Not my place to say." The doctor nods at the door, "He'll talk to you."

"Who?" Bob rumbles.

"Go check on your other patients doc." Merle says, "I can take it until he gets here. And the two of you are late for patrol. Get." The Beta throws over his shoulder to the two Betas guarding the room. The three leave, and Merle waits another moment before getting up and pulling the two women into a hug. "I miss you guys; I miss my Pack."

"Come home then." Andrea whispers.

"Can't." Merle's voice breaks and Tara almost whines at the pain there, "I have to protect you all."

He sits down in a chair in front of them. "Tell me what's been going on this last month."

They tell him everything regarding their Pack, even Tara's like the two Packs were one.

"You have the authority to Merge our Packs." Michonne says, "As the Prime's Mate, in their absence you can do it."

"I can't scent you all." Merle turns to Tara's group, "But consider it done. You saved them; tell Morgan they have my blessing."

"Of course." Andrea says.

"He's coming." Merle turns his ear to the door, "Get nasty."

Michonne jumps right in, "WHY THE HELL NOT?"

"Cause I ain't the Prime here and you need his permission to leave these walls! Keep talking Alpha and I'm gonna-"

"Merle behave." The Governor walks right in with a pretty brunette by his side, "They're our guest. Treat them as such."

"Tara?!" The woman goes straight to the Alpha and throws her arms around her, sobbing.

"Lizzy?!" Tara breathes in her sister's scent. "Where have you been? Where's dad and Megan?"

Merle hums and exchanges a glance with Michonne and Andrea out of the corner of his eye. This complicated things. If Tara chose her sister over their Pack, Merle was in danger.

"Dad's oxygen machine ran out and he turned. He got Megan and I ran. Philip found me and took me in." Lizzy turned Merle, "Thank you for saving my sister."

"No problem Luna. It wasn't my intent, but it worked out gracefully." Merle rumbles. Tara had to force herself not to tense while hugging Lizzy. Merle had just told them Lizzy was Mated to the Governor, putting his fate in Tara's hand. The female Alpha understood this for what it was; a test. If she blew his cover Andrea and Michonne would refuse their acceptance into their Pack and might even kill them. It was her Pack or her sister.

"Dad killed Megan?" Tara asks, "How'd you get away from their Walkers?"

Lizzy's silence was enough. "You didn't. You left while dad was eating Megan. You didn't try to save her, you just ran."

"There wasn't anything I could have done." Lizzy steps away, "I couldn't die too."

Tara turns to Bob and hides in his chest, using a finger to trace W U on his arm. He hugs her and she passes the message to Sasha, who whispers it to Michonne. W U; with you.

"Is there a problem?" The Governor rumbles.

"No." Bob answers, thinking fast on his feet, "Tara just found out her sister is alive and her dad and niece are dead. None of us have slept well in months; she's overwhelmed. In the morning everything will be alright."

"Of course." The Governor relaxed a bit. "Sleep. We shall see you when the sun rises. Lizzy." The Beta woman goes to her Mate's side and Merle follows. Philp closes the door. "Sleep. Welcome to Woodbury."


End file.
